ILLINOIS  HISTORICAL  SURVEY 


HISTORY 

OF    THE 

ILLINOIS  RIVER 

BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION, 

AND    OF 

ITS  CHUECHES. 

BY  GILBERT  S.  BAILEY. 

PREPARID  AND  PUBLISHED  BY  ORDER  OF  THE    ASSOCIATION- 


SHELDON,   BLAKEMAN   &    CO. 

1857. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1857,  by 

SHELDON,  BLAKEMAN  &  CO., 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for 
the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


CONTENTS. 

/  Page. 

HISTORY  or  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

Origin  of  the  Association,  7 

Summary  of  Doctrines,  10 
Its  Meetings  from  1837  to  1856,      |        -     11-33 

Statistical  Table,  34 

Remarks  on  the  Statistical  Table,  35 

Historical  Table,  37 

Associational  Record,     -  38 

HISTORY  OF  THE  .CHURCHES  ; 

Annawan,  86 

Belle  Plaine,       -  -        128 

Brimfield,  -         108 

Canton,  -  39 

Chilicothe,  64 

Concord,            -  -         133 

Cuba,     -  -                       144 

Delevan,                       •'  ••  -             -           96 

Farmington,        -  131 

Galesburg,  -           72 
Galva,     -             ....         145 

Havanna,                          -  -         106 

Henderson,          •_  -                        91 

Kickapoo,     .  -         121 

Knox,     -  -         136 

Lacon,    -  -                      141 

Lafayette,            -            -  -             -           81 

Lamarsh,             -             -  -             -          70 

Laprairie,  -             -         145 

Metamora,                        -  -             -         115 

Morton,  .             .         119 

Ontario,              -             -  -             -         135 


IV  CONTENTS. 

Peoria,  First  Church,      -  -  55 

Peoria,  Adams  Street,    -  -             -  140 

Peoria,  German  Church,  -  130 

Pekin,    -  -  110 

Quiver,  -  -  138 

Richland,             -  92 

Richland  Valley,  -  124 

Spoon  River,      ....  143 

Steuben,  .  103 

Toulon,  -  100 

Tremont,  -  47 

Trivoli,    -  -  78 

Washburn,          -            -  -  126 

Washington,       -  -            -  59 

Wethersfield,     -  -  122 

Whitefield,         -             -  -             -  139 


PREFACE. 


AT  the  Anniversary  of  the  Illinois  River  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, held  at  Metamora  in  1855,  it  was  thought  advi- 
sable to  collect  the  early  history  of  the  Association  and 
of  its  Churches,  while  their  founders  were  still  living 
and  the  information  was  accessible  ;  and  to  embody  the 
facts  in  a  small  publication  that  they  might  be  preserved. 

The  Association  consequently  appointed  G.  S.  Bailey, 
H.  G.  Weston  and  S.  G.  Miner,  to  prepare  such  a  work. 
The  preparation  of  the  following  sketches  has  devolved 
upon  the  first  named  in  the  Committee  ;  but  he  is  greatly 
indebted  to  other  brethren  for  furnishing  the  materials, 
and  to  the  other  members  of  the  Committee  for  their  valu- 
able services  in  revising  the  work. 

The  churches  are  arranged  successively  according  to  the 
date  of  their  organization,  the  oldest  first,  and  so  on. 
The  present  number  of  members  in  the  churches,  is 
given  as  reported  to  the  Association  in  1856.  The  pre- 
sent officers  of  the  churches  mentioned  in  the  work  are 
those  who  hold  that  relation  in  April,  1857,  so  far  as 
known  to  the  writer.  Only  the  history  of  the  churches 
now  connected  with  the  Association  is  given.  A  few  of 
those  once  connected  with  it  have  become  extinct;  and 
a  large  number  have  united  with  other  Associations. 

It  is  an  agreeable  and  instructive  task  to  review  the 
history  of  the  churches  which  are  springing  up  on  these 
prairies  and  among  these  groves,  and  to  mark  the  dealr 
2 


VI  PREFACE. 

ings  of  God  with  them.  Succeeding  generations  may 
inquire  into  the  history  of  the  first  efforts  to  plant  the  gos- 
pel here,  and  the  Christians  and  churches  which  will  come 
after  us  may  be  gratified  to  learn  a  few  items  in  refer- 
ence to  the  establishment  of  the  earliest  gospel  churches 
in  this  part  of  the  land. 

The  first  gospel  preacher  who  came  into  Illinois,  was  a 
Baptist.  In  178*7,  elder  James  Smith  from  Kentucky 
visited  and  preached  in  the  settlement  of  New  Design, 
about  thirty  miles  north  of  Kaskaskia.  After  him  elder 
Josiah  Dodge  from  Kentucky,  and  elder  David  Badgely 
from  Virginia,  preached  there  and  baptized  several  con- 
verts. The  first  Baptist  Church  in  Illinois  was  organized  at 
New  Design,  May  28,  1796,  with  28  members.  In  1797, 
the  white  population  of  Illinois,  according  to  Dr.  J.  M. 
Peck,  was  about  2700,  two-thirds  of  whom  were  French 
Catholics  and  spoke  the  French  language. 

The  first  Baptist  Association  in  Illinois  was  organized 
in  1807,  called  the  Illinois  Union.  It  contained  five  chur- 
ches, four  Ministers  and  sixty-two  members.  In  1820, 
there  were  about  1500  Baptist  members  in  the  State ;  in 
1836  about  7000,  and  there  are  now  (1857)  about  30,000 
regular  Baptists,  and  about  four  or  five  thousand  Anti- 
Mission  and  Free  Will  Baptists. 

The  rich  blessings  which  God  has  granted  to  the  Illi- 
nois River  Association  should  awaken  lively  emotions  of 
gratitude ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  this  little  volume  may 
perpetuate  the  recollection  of  God's  mercies  to  us,  and 
stimulate  us  to  greater  faithfulness  in  the  future. 

MITAMORA,  111.,  April  11,  1857. 


HISTORY 

OF    THE 


Illinois  $ikr  Baptist 


ORIGIN. 

The  Illinois  River  Baptist  Association 
was  organized  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  Novem- 
ber 2, 1836.  It  was  composed  of  messengers 
from  the  following  churches  : 

Princeton — Elder  Henry  Headly,  Stephen 
Triplett  and  Wm.  H.  Wells. 

Pleasant  Grave  (now  Tremont) — Elder 
Thomas  Brown,  A.  W.  Yan  Meter,  James 
Scott  and  D.  Roberts. 

Peoria — Elder  A.  M.  Gardner,  A.  Gard- 
ner, J.  K.  Stanton  and  A.  Richardson. 

Round  Prairie — S.  Allen. 

Vermilionville — Elder  Thomas  Powell  and 
K.  Bell. 

Elders  Ozias  Hale,  Gershom  Silliman  and 
Wm.  Southard  were  present,  and  took  part 
in  the  Convention ;  and  also  brethren  Wm. 
0.  Van  Meter  and  M.  Winslow. 


8  ORIGIN    OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Princeton  church  then  contained 
15  members,  Pleasant  Grove  20,  Peoria  10, 
Round  Prairie  5,  Yermilionville  20  ;  total 
70.  All  these  churches  had  been  organized 
within  three  years,  and  -were  located  near 
the  Illinois  River,  from  which  the  Associa- 
tion derives  its  name.  Elder  Thomas  Brown 
was  its  first  Moderator,  and  Elder  Thomas 
Powell  its  first  Clerk. 

A  Constitution  was  adopted,  and  a  Sum- 
mary of  Doctrine.  The  Association  was 
thoroughly  missionary  in  its  sentiments 
from  its  commencement,  as  the  7th  article 
of  its  original  Constitution  indicates,  "Art. 
7.  There  shall  be  an  Executive  Committee 
or  Board  on  Benevolent  objects,  to  meet  on 
the  day  preceding  each  anniversary  of  the 
Association,  and  furnish  a  report  to  be  in- 
serted in  the  minutes." 

The  Sangamon  Association  at  its  session 
at  Pleasant  Grove  in  1835,  had  passed  a 
resolution  declaring  non-fellowship  with  all 
who  advocated  the  cause  of  missions,  tem- 
perance societies  and  sabbath  schools.  In 
consequence  of  this  resolution  the  Pleasant 
Grove  church  was  divided.  Other  church- 
es, recently  organized,  united  with  the  Pleas- 
ant Grove  brethren  in  calling  a  convention 
at  Peoria,  for  the  organization  of  a  new 


ASSOCIATION   IN    1836.  9 

Association,  and  this  was  consequently 
formed. 

It  is  highly  gratifying  to  see  with  what 
energy  this  young  and  small  Association, 
having  a  membership  of  only  70,  engaged 
in  efforts  to  promote  the  various  objects  of 
benevolence,  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel. 
The  following  votes,  which  were  passed  at 
the  organization  of  the  Association,  indicate 
the  zeal,  devotion  and  activity  of  these 
brethren  in  the  cause  of  benevolence. 

"Appointed  James  Scott,  J.  H.  Harris 
and  David  Roberts,  to  attend  to  the  inter- 
ests of  sabbath  schools  and  theological  in- 
struction." 

"Appointed  brethren  Stanton,  Richard- 
son and  A.  M.  Gardner,  to  promote,  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Association,  the  missionary 
cause,  and  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society." 

"  Appointed  brethren  Headly,  Bagley 
and  Wells,  to  promote  the  circulation  of 
religious  publications." 

"  Appointed  brethren  Powell,  Dimmick 
and  Bell,  to  consult  on  the  creation  of  a  fund 
for  the  support  of  the  widows  and  orphans 
of  deceased  Baptist  ministers  in  this  Asso- 
ciation." 

"  Resolved,  That  this  Association  highly 
value  the  movements  of  the  Illinois  Baptist 
2* 


10  SUMMARY  OF  DOCTRINES. 

State  Convention,  and  request  regular  cor- 
respondence with  it." 

"  Voted,  to  commend  to  the  patronage  of 
our  churches,  the  Pioneer,  published  at 
Alton,  and  to  raise  a  sum  of  money  before 
our  next  session,  sufficient  to  sustain  a 
student  for  one  year,  in  the  Alton  Theologi- 
cal Seminary." 

A  similar  activity  in  the  cause  of  benevo- 
lence has  generally  characterized  the  Asso- 
ciation throughout  its  entire  history. 


SUMMARY  OF  DOCTRINES, 

ADOPTED  AT  THE  ORGANIZATION. 

"  This  Association  acknowledge  the  unity 
of  God,  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
Scriptures,  the  original  holiness  and  present 
depravity  of  man,  the  atonement  of  the  Son 
of  God,  regeneration  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  necessity  of  repentance  for  sin,  faith  in 
the  Savior,  and  universal  obedience  to  the 
gospel,  imputed  righteousness,  justification 
by  faith  in  the  Redeemer,  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  the  general  judgment,  the  everlasting 
happiness  of  the  saints,  the  misery  of  the 
wicked,  the  independence  of  each  church, 
baptism  by  immersion  in  water  on  a  profes- 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1836-7.  11 

sion  of  faith  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son 
and  Holy  Ghost,  admission  to  church  priv- 
ileges after  baptism,  the  ordinance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  the  sacred  observance  of  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  the  support  of  the 
gospel  ministry,  the  duty  of  laboring  to 
illuminate  the  whole  world,  the  office  of 
pastor  and  deacon  in  each  church,  the  equal 
privileges  of  members  in  cases  of  church 
discipline  and  business,  prayer,  reading  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  a  diligent  use  of  appoint- 
ed means  for  promoting  personal  piety  and 
general  usefulness." 

In  1845  the  Association  adopted  the  arti- 
cles of  faith  first  published  by  the  New 
Hampshire  State  Convention,  and  found  in 
the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge. 

The  five  churches  of  which  the  Associa- 
tion was  composed,  were  located  as  follows : 
Princeton,  in  Bureau  county ;  Pleasant  Grave, 
(now  Tremont),  in  Tazewell  county ;  Peoria, 
in  Peoria  county ;  Round  Prairie,  in  Mar- 
shall county,  and  Vermilionville  in  Lasalle 
county. 

1837. 

The  Association  met  at  Peoria  on  the 
6th  and  7th  of  October,  1837.  The  Canton 
church  in  Fulton  county,  and  the  Henncpin 
and  Granville  church,  with  24  members  in 


12  ASSOCIATION   IN   1838. 

Putnam  county,  were  received  into  the 
Association.  The  Canton  church  then  had 
18  members.  Elder  Nathan  West  was  the 
pastor.  It  is  now  the  largest  Baptist  church 
in  the  state,  containing  in  1856,  526  mem- 
bers. The  Association  this  year  (1837) 
reported  15  baptized,  and  a  total  member- 
ship of  159.  The  Round  Prairie  church 
never  reported  itself  to  the  Association 
after  1836,  and  probably  it  became  extinct. 
At  this  session  a  lively  interest  was  man- 
ifested in  promoting  benevolent  objects,  and 
an  extensive  correspondence  was  opened 
with  other  Associations.  David  Roberts 
wrote  the  circular  letter  commending  to  the 
churches  the  cause  of  missions,  and  urging 
the  churches  to  active  efforts  to  spread  the 
gospel. 

1838. 

The  Association  met  Sept.  21,  at  Prince- 
ton, Bureau  County.  The  following  five 
churches  were  received  into  the  Association. 
Washington,  in  Tazewell  county,  Thomas 
Brown,  minister,  with  23  members  ;  Big 
Vermilion,  Lasalle  county,  Asa  Button,  min- 
ister, with  7  members ;  Greenfield,  (now 
Lamoille,)  in  Bureau  county,  H.  Hcadly 
and  J.  Hetzler,  ministers,  with  21  members  ; 


ASSOCIATION   IN    1838.  13 

ChUicothe,  in  Peoria  county,  Alexander 
Ridler,  minister,  with  17  members  ;  and 
Dixon  and  Buffalo  Grove,  in  Lee  county, 
with  14  members.  Eleven  churches  were 
now  in  the  Association,  and  this  year  they 
reported  47  baptisms,  and  271  members. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare 
a  brief  sketch  of  the  origin  of  the  churches, 
which  was  printed  in  the  minutes.  From 
that  sketch  we  take  the  following  extracts 
in  regard  to  the  origin  and  history  of  those 
churches  which  are  not  now  connected  with 
this  Association,  but  have  united  with  other 
Associations.  A  fuller  sketch  of  the  history 
of  the  churches  now  in  this  body,  will  be 
given  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

"  Big  Vermilion  River. — This  church  is 
located  at  the  Morgan  Settlement, — a  ma- 
jority of  the  members  were  connected  with 
the  church  at  Vermilionville,  and  as  a 
branch  of  it,  enjoyed  the  occasional  labors 
of  its  pastor,  until  the  close  1836.  At  that 
time  elder  Asa  Button,  from  Oakland, 
Michigan,  took  up  his  abode  and  commenc- 
ed preaching  in  the  settlement.  Under  the 
labors  of  brother  Button  they  were  organ- 
ized into  a  separate  and  independent  church, 
in  1838."  In  1840  its  name  was  dropped 
from  the  minutes. 


14  ASSOCIATION   IN   1838. 

"  Dixon  and  Buffalo  Grove. — Two  Baptist 
sisters  from  the  Mulberry  street  church,  in 
New  York  City,  settled  with  their  families 
in  these  places,  some  years  before  the  re- 
moval of  the  Indians,  and  continued  alone 
until  the  commencement  of  the  white  settle- 
ments introduced  a  few  Baptist  brethren 
around  them.  In  the  latter  part  of  May, 
1838,  they  were  visited  and  gathered  into 
a  church,  by  elder  Thomas  Powell.  Three 
were  received  and  baptized  into  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  church  at  that  time." 

''Greenfield,  1st  church  (Lamoille). — This 
church  was  gathered  together  by  elder 
Henry  Headly,  in  the  spring  of  1838.  In 
March  a  good  degree  of  seriousness  was 
manifested  in  the  congregation,  which  con- 
tinued to  increase.  Several  were  converted, 
and  on  the  5th  of  May  a  church  was  organ- 
ized with  9  members.  Since  that  time  they 
have  received  12  by  baptism." 

"Hennepin  and  Granville. — A  few  Baptist 
brethren  and  sisters  within  the  bounds  of 
this  church,  about  14  in  number,  were  gath- 
ered together  and  constituted  in  April,  1837, 
by  elder  Thomas  Powell,  who  immediately 
assumed  the  pastoral  charge  of  this  church, 
to  supply  them  one  half  of  the  time.  The 
first  season  was  distinguished  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God  in  bringing  into  the  church  by 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1838.  15 

baptism,  six  willing  converts.  The  present 
season,  as  the  fruit  of  a  precious  revival, 
seven  more  have  been  baptized.  Present 
number,  34." 

"Princeton. — A  number  of  brethren  and 
sisters,  principally  from  Ohio,  settled  in  and 
about  this  place,  and  were  constituted  into 
a  church  in  1836.  Elder  Henry  Headly 
was  their  first  pastor." 

"  Vermilionville. — A  few  Baptist  professors 
from  Pennsylvania,  western  New  York  and 
Michigan,  removed  to  this  vicinity,  and 
were  visited  by  elder  Isaac  T.  Hinton,  of 
Chicago,  and  constituted  into  a  church  in 
November,  1835.  The  number  constituted 
was  fourteen.  Elder  Thomas  Powell  be- 
came the  pastor  in  October,  1836.  This 
church  removed  its  standing  from  the 
Northern  Association  in  the  fall  of  1836, 
and  is  one  of  the  five  churches  which  formed 
the  Illinois  River  Association." 

The  circular  letter  was  written  by  elder 
A.  M.  Gardner,  upon  the  Elevation  of  the 
Character  of  the  Church.  Interesting  re- 
ports were  also  presented  on  the  Bible  and 
Missionary  Societies.  •  A  Ministerial  Con- 
ference was  also  organized,  and  arrange- 
ments were  made,  for  quarterly  meetings  of 
the  Association,  at  Washington,  Chilicothe 
and  Greenfield. 


16  ASSOCIATION   IN    1839. 

1839. 

The  Association  met  in  Tremont,  Sept. 
20.  The  following  churches  were  received 
into  the  Association.  Lamarsh,  in  Peoria 
county,  A.  M.  Gardner,  minister,  with  17 
members ;  Knoxvitte,  in  Knox  county,  Gard- 
ner Bartlett,  minister,  with  42  members  ; 
Trivoli,  in  Peoria  county,  Nathan  West, 
minister,  with  14  members  ;  Windsor,  formed 
from  the  Princeton  church,  Henry  Headly, 
senior,  licentiate  minister,  with  14  mem- 
bers. 

The  Association  reported  31  baptisms, 
and  373  members.  Several  of  the  churches 
this  year  failed  to  send  any  letter  or  dele- 
gates to  the  Association,  so  that  the  statis- 
tical report  is  imperfect.  The  Missionary 
Societies,  American  and  Foreign  Bible  So- 
ciety, Baptist  Publication  Society,  and  the 
Western  Pioneer,  were  cordially  commend- 
ed to  the  churches.  Resolutions  were 
adopted  against  intemperance,  war,  slavery 
and  sabbath  breaking. 

The  circular  letter  was  written  by  Thomas 
Powell,  upon  Christian  Union,  being  an  ab- 
stract of  the  introductory  sermon,  prepared 
and  printed  by  special  request  of  the  Asso- 
ciation. The  churches  this  year  report 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1840-1.  17 

contributions  to  benevolent  objects  to  the 
amount  of  $184,59. 

1840. 

The  Association  met  at  Lowell,  Lasalle 
county  >  Sept.  18.  The  church  at  Fahren- 
heit (now  Lafayette),  elder  Jonathan  Miner, 
minister,  with  19  members,  was  received  ; 
and  also  the  church  at  Lasalle,  Aaron  Gunn, 
licentiate,  with  8  members.  The  churches 
this  year  reported  62  baptisms,  and  490 
members.  During  the  session  a  Bible  So- 
ciety was  organized,  auxiliary  to  the  Ameri- 
can and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  The  circu- 
lar letter  treats  of  Brotherly  Love,  and  was 
prepared  by  H.  Headly.  Contributions  for 
benevolent  objects  amounted  to  $219,97. 
The  Association  changed  its  time  of  meet- 
ing from  September  to  June. 

1841. 

The  Association  met  June  10,  at  Canton. 
The  church  at  Dover,  H.  Headly,  minister, 
with  6  members,  was  admitted  into  the  As- 
sociation. The  churches  reported  106  bap- 
tisms, and  625  members.  A  depository  of 
Baptist  Books  to  be  located  at  Chicago,  was 
recommended  by  resolution. 
3 


18  ASSOCIATION   IN   1842-3. 

The  circular  letter,  written  by  T.  Powell, 
treats  of  the  importance  of  supporting  the 
gospel. 

1842. 

This  year  the  Association  met  at  Dixon, 
in  Lee  county,  June  9.  The  churches  at 
Ottawa,  Dixon  and  Lafayette  were  received. 
Ottawa  had  48  members,  Charles  Harding, 
pastor  ;  Dixon  had  40  members,  B.  B.  Car- 
penter, pastor  ;  Lafayette  had  14  members. 
The  Lafayette  church  originated  in  the 
Fahrenheit  church,  and  although  the  two 
organizations  maintained  a  separate  exis- 
tence for  a  while,  both  were  eventually 
merged  in  the  Lafayette  church,  and  took 
that  name. 

The  churches  reported  120  baptisms  and 
746  members.  The  Association  now  con- 
tained 20  churches,  14  ordained  ministers, 
7  licentiates,  4  students  preparing  for  the 
ministry,  11  sabbath  schools,  3  Bible  classes, 
3  meeting  houses  completed  and  occupied, 
and  4  meeting  houses  commenced. 

1843. 

The  Association  met  at  Knoxville,  June 
8.  Elder  B.  F.  Brabrook,  from  the  Ed- 
wardsville  Association,  preached  the  intro- 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1843.  19 

ductory  sermon  from  Col.  1:28.  "Whom 
we  preach,  warning  every  man,  and  teaching 
every  man,  in  all  wisdom  that  we  may  pre- 
sent every  man  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 

Elder  James  Hovey  was  present  from 
the  Salem  Association  ;  H.  G.  Weston  from 
the  Franklin  Association,  Ky. ;  and  A. 
Sherwood,  D.  D.,  President  of  Shurtleff 
College. 

The  following  churches  were  received : 
Palestine,  Henry  Headly,  minister,  with  18 
members  ;  Franklin,  J.  B.  Smith,  minister, 
10  members  ;  and  Cole  Creek,  W.  Pigsley, 
minister,  31  members.  In  1842  the  Tish- 
kilwa  church  is  contained  in  the  statistical 
table,  and  is  found  there  also  the  two  fol- 
lowing years.  Probably  this  church  was 
received  at  the  time  it  was  placed  on  the 
minutes,  though  I  find  no  record  of  the  fact. 

The  churches  reported  79  baptisms,  and 
766  members.  At  this  session  the  Buffalo 
Grove  and  Dixon  churches  were  dismissed, 
to  unite  with  the  Rock  River  Association, 
and  the  Chilicothe  church  was  dropped  from 
the  minutes. 

The  decease  of  elder  Charles  Harding 
is  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  this  year,  and 
the  following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

"Resolved,  That  the  Church  of  Christ  has 
sustained  a  deep  loss  in  the  death  of  our 


20  ASSOCIATION   IN   1844-5. 

beloved  brother  in  Christ,  elder  Charles 
Harding,  late  pastor  of  the  Ottawa  and 
Indian  Creek  churches,  and  that  we  have 
cause  for  humiliation  and  prayer  before 
God,  in  view  of  his  afflicting  hand  ;  but 
that  our  loss,  though  grievous,  is  his  infinite 
gain  ;  and  that  we  deeply  sympathize  with 
these  churches  in  their  consequent  destitu- 
tion, as  also  with  his  afflicted  widow  and 
bereaved  family,  commending  them  to  the 
God  of  the  widow  and  orphan,  and  to  the 
sympathy  of  the  churches.77 

1844. 

The  Association  met  at  Washington, 
June  13.  The  Henderson  church,  C.  But- 
ton minister,  with  13  members,  was  receiv- 
ed. The  churches  reported  42  baptisms, 
and  747  members. 

1845. 

The  Association  met  at  Lamoille,  June 
13.  The  church  at  Richland,  Woodford 
Co.,  H.  G.  Weston  minister,  with  17  mem- 
bers, was  received  ;  also  the  church  at 
Mount  Palatine,  in  Putnam  county,  T.  Pow- 
el,  minister,  with  41  members. 

The  churches  report  26  baptisms  and  779 
members.  This  year  the  Association  prin- 


ASSOCIATION   IN    1845.  21 

ted  in  their  minutes  the  articles  of  faith 
found  in  the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious 
knowledge,  as  an  expression  of  their  doc- 
trinal views.  The  following  record  is 
made  of  the  decease  of  elder  Jonathan 
Miner  : 

"  That  in  view  of  the  solemn  and  afflictive 
dispensation  of  Divine  Providence,  by  which 
elder  Jonathan  Miner,  late  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Fahrenheit,  has  been  removed 
from  the  walls  of  Zion,  to  his  reward,  we 
feel  deeply  to  sympathize  with  a  bereaved 
church  and  family,  regarding  their  loss  as 
our  own."  A  fuller  account  of  his  life  and 
labors  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  the 
Lafayette  church. 

The  following  extract  from  the  report  of 
the  Committee  on  the  Digest  of  Letters, 
shows  the  amount  of  ministerial  labor 
which  the  churches  enjoyed  at  this  time  : 

"Knoxville,  Ottawa  and  Canton  churches 
have  preaching  all  the  time.  Seven  chur- 
ches, Cole  Creek,  Granville,  Mount  Pala- 
tine, Peoria,  Trivoli,  Yermilionville,  and 
Washington,  have  preaching  half  the  time. 
Four  churches,  Franklin,  Henderson,  Pala- 
tine, and  Richland  have  preaching  one- 
fourth  of  the  time.  The  church  at  Lamoille 
has  preaching  three-fourths  of  the  time. 
Dover,  Lasalle,  Princeton,  and  Tishkilwa 
have  no  preaching." 


22  ASSOCIATION  IN   1846-7. 

1846. 

The  Association  met  at  Granville,  Put- 
nam Co.,  June  11.  The  churches  reported 
14  baptisms,  and  734  members.  The  death 
of  elder  Henry  Headly,  and  Deacon  C. 
H.  Benton,  of  Lamoille,  and  deacon  G.  R. 
Stanton,  of  Fahrenheit,  is  noticed  in  the 
minutes.  Four  new  pastors  settled  in  the 
Association  this  year  ;  Zenas  Hall,  Ver- 
milionville  ;  J.  0.  Metcalf,  Knoxville  ;  W. 
Levisee,  Princeton  ;  and  0.  Fisher,  Mount 
Palatine.  Four  meeting  houses  were  in 
progress  at  Peoria,  Richland,  Lamoille,  and 
Princeton.  A  meeting  house  was  comple- 
ted at  Tremont. 

1847. 

The  Association  met  at  Canton,  June  10. 
The  church  at  Wethersfield,  with  16  mem- 
bers, was  received.  The  baptisms  reported 
were  37  ;  members  813.  The  following 
reference  is  made  to  the  death  of  brother 
Rhodes  Van  Meter,  of  the  Washington 
church. 

"  The  Association  express  their  sympa- 
thy and  condolence  with  the  church  at 
Washington,  and  with  the  widow  and  rela- 
tives of  our  deceased  brother  Rhodes  Van 
Meter,  whose  death  has  created  a  chasm 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1848.  23 

deeply  felt  and  deplored,  on  account  of  the 
uniform  amiability,  integrity  and  usefulness 
of  our  deceased  brother." 

The  following  ministers  commenced 
labors  within  the  Association  during  the 
year  :  J.  M.  Stickney,  at  Fahrenheit  and 
Franklin  ;  G-.  W.  Benton,  Granville  ;  John 
Higby,  Ottawa  ;  Samuel  Ladd,  Tremont ; 
and  W.  T.  Ely  at  Washington. 

Contributions  reported  by  the  churches 
for  benevolent  objects,  $573,34. 

1848. 

The  Association  met  at  Ottawa,  June  8. 
The  church  at  Delevan,  Nelson  Alvord,  min- 
ister, with  10  members,  was  received  ;  also 
the  church  at  Farmington,  Erastus  Miner, 
minister,  with  38  members  ;  and  the  name 
of  the  Knoxville  church  is  changed  to  Gales- 
burg  ;  and  the  Chilicothe  church  was  again 
received  with  7  members. 

The  churches  reported  124  baptisms,  and 
955  members.  It  now  contained  26  chur- 
ches, extending  from  Canton  to  Ottawa,  a 
distance  of  more  than  100  miles.  At  this 
meeting  it  was 

"  Resolved,  That  in  our  opinion,  the  time 
has  come  when  the  best  interests  of  our 
common  cause  justifies  the  formation  of  a 
new  Association." 


24  ASSOCIATION  IN   1849-50. 

In  pursuance  of  this  resolution,  the  Otta- 
wa Association  was  formed,  which  took 
from  the  Illinois  River  Association  some 
ten  or  twelve  churches,  including  Dover, 
Lamoille,  Lasalle,  Mount  Palatine,  Ottawa, 
Palestine,  Princeton,  Tishkilwa,  and  Ver- 
milion. 

1849. 

The  Association  met  at  Lamarsh,  in  Pe- 
oria  county,  June  13.  The  church  at  Tou- 
lon was  received  with  19  members.  The 
churches  reported  34  baptisms,  and  649 
members.  The  churches  which  went  from 
this  Association  to  form  the  Ottawa  Asso- 
ciation, took  from  this  about  330  members, 
leaving  625  of  the  955  which  it  had  in  1848, 
still  in  this  body. 

At  this  session,  the  Chilicothe  church  is 
reported  as  having  lost  its  visibility,  and 
the  Trivoli  church  as  being  merged  in  the 
Farmington.  A  precious  season  of  revival 
followed  this  session  of  the  Association  in 
the  Lamarsh  church. 

1850. 

The  Association  met  at  Peoria,  June  12. 
The  following  churches  were  received : 
Steuben,  C.  D.  Merit,  minister,  with  30 
members  ;  Trivoli,  Joel  Sweet,  minister, 
with  27  members  ;  Spring  Say,  E.  S.  Free- 
man, minister,  with  28  members,  and  Brim- 


ASSOCIATION   IN    1850.  25 

field,  L.  Atkinson,  minister,  with  14  mem- 
bers. 

The  churches  reported  201  baptisms,  and 
874  members.  A  committee  having  been 
appointed  the  previous  year,  upon  the  num- 
ber of  delegates  to  be  received  from  each 
church,  they  reported  through  H.  G.  Wes- 
ton,  the  chairman,  the  following  recommen- 
dations, which  were  adopted  : — That  each 
church  may  send  as  many  delegates  as  it 
pleases,  and  the  eighth  by-law  was  made 
to  read,  "  Whenever  it  is  desired  by  any 
two  members,  the  vote  upon  any  question 
shall  be  taken  by  churches,  each  church 
having  one  vote,  and  all  questions  vitally 
aifecting  the  interests  of  the  Association 
shall  be  referred  back  to  the  churches  for 
their  action  thereon."  This  arrange- 
ment was  made  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
as  large  an  attendance  as  possible,  at  the 
meetings  of  the  Association,  and  of  preserv- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  the  perfect  equality 
and  independence  of  the  churches. 

The  Cole  Creek  church  is  reported  as 
having  lost  its  visibility,  and  was  ordered  to 
be  dropt  from  the  minutes.  The  Associa- 
tion contained  18  churches,  20  ordained 
ministers,  and  two  licentiates.  Several  of 
the  ordained  ministers  were  either  super- 
annuated or  were  not  laboring  as  pastors. 


26  ASSOCIATION   IN    1851. 

1852 

The  Association  met  at  Lafayette,  Stark 
county,  June  11.  The  following  churches 
were  received  :  Kickapoo,  W.  G.  Gordon, 
minister,  with  14  members  ;  Wether sfield 
Village,  C.  E.  Tinker,  minister,  with  12 
members ;  Morton,  J.  Corwin,  minister, 
with  20  members  ;  Chilicothe,  T.  Bodley, 
minister,  with  34  members  ;  and  Metamora, 
A.  B.  Cramb,  minister,  with  18  members. 

This  was  a  year  of  extensive  and  glori- 
ous revivals.  The  churches  reported  365 
baptisms,  251  of  which  were  in  the  Canton 
church,  under  the  labors  of  the  pastor,  el- 
der S.  G.  Miner,  assisted  by  elder  Jacob 
Knapp.  The  churches  reported  1341  mem- 
bers. The  name  of  the  Farmington  church 
was  this  year  dropt  from  the  minutes. 

The  death  of  elder  0.  J.  Sherman  is  re- 
corded in  the  minutes  of  this  year,  and  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted  : 

"  In  view  of  the  removal  by  death  during 
the  past  year  of  our  beloved  brother,  Rev. 
0.  J.  Sherman,  Resolved,  That  this  Asso- 
ciation are  called  upon  to  express  our  high 
estimate  of  the  character  and  pious  labors 
of  our  deceased  brother  ;  to  embalm  his 
memory  and  example,  and  to  render  our 
heart-felt  condolence  and  sympathy  to  our 


ASSOCIATION  IN   1852-3.  27 

bereaved  sister,  and  the  circle  of  mourners, 
and  especially  to  the  churches  which  have  en- 
joyed his  membership  and  labors."  A  state- 
ment concerning  the  life  and  labors  of  el- 
der 0.  J.  Sherman  was  made  by  elder  H. 
G.  Weston,  and  prayer  was  offered  by 
elder  Thomas  Powell.  Some  further  items 
in  reference  to  elder  Sherman  will  be  found 
in  the  history  of  the  Washington  church. 

1852. 

The  Association  met  at  Galesburg,  June 
9.  Two  churches  were  received  :  Pekin, 
G.  S.  Bailey,  minister,  with  24  members, 
and  Richland  Valley,  J.  M.  Stickney,  minis- 
ter, with  18  members.  The  churches  repor- 
ted 243  baptisms,  and  1575  members. 

The  question  of  dividing  the  Association 
again  was  submitted  to  the  churches  for 
their  consideration  and  decision  next  year. 

A  division  was  thought  by  some  to  be 
advisable  on  account  of  the  number  of  chur- 
ches and  the  extent  of  country  over  which 
the  Association  was  spread  ;  but  the  chur- 
ches generally  seemed  disinclined  to  a  di- 
vision at  the  next  anniversary,  and  conse- 
quently it  was  not  made. 

1853. 

The  Association  met  at  Tremont.  June  8. 


28  ASSOCIATION   IN   1853. 

Three  churches  were  received  :  Peoria  Ger- 
man, J.  H.  Kruger,  minister,  with  13  mem- 
bers ;  Belle  Plaine,  "Wm.  M.  Brooks,  minis- 
ter, with  11  members ;  and  Half  Moon 
Prairie,  (now  Washburn,)  C.  D.  Merit,  min- 
ister, with  34  members.  The  churches  re- 
ported 244  baptisms,  and  1828  members. 

Elder  Anders  Wiberg,  from  Sweden, 
was  present  at  this  meeting,  and  delivered 
a  very  interesting  discourse  in  reference  to 
his  own  conversion,  religious  history,  and 
the  persecution  and  prospects  of  Baptists  in 
that  country,  and  the  evangelical  move- 
ments now  in  progress  there.  The  Mode- 
rator, Corresponding  Secretary  and  Clerk, 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  address  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Se- 
cretary of  State  at  "Washington,  and  through 
them  the  U.  S.  Minister  at  Stockholm, 
Sweden,  soliciting  their  aid  in  securing  re- 
ligious freedom  for  the  Baptist  churches  in 
Sweden.  A  very  great  interest  was  felt  by 
the  Association  in  behalf  of  our  Swedish 
brethren.  The  above  committee  did  not, 
however,  present  any  address  to  the  Presi- 
dent, as  they  became  convinced  that  he 
could  do  nothing  officially  in  the  matter. 

Elder  John  .M.  Scrogin,  pastor  of  the 
Delevan  church,  died  of  cholera  during  the 
year.  We  find  the  following  reference  to 
it  in  the  minutes  : 


ASSOCIATION  IN  1854.  29 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  our  much 
loved  brother,  J.  M.  Scrogin,  we  deplore  a 
loss  not  easily  repaired,  and  we  feel  admo- 
nished that  the  prophets  do  not  live  always, 
and  that  it  behooves  the  servants  of  Christ, 
and  his  ministers  in  particular,  to  work 
while  the  day  lasts,  for  the  night  cometh 
when  no  man  can  work ;  and  that  we 
deeply  sympathize  with  the  widow  of  broth- 
er Scrogin,  and  recommend  her  and  her  lit- 
tle ones  to  the  prayers  and  kind  attentions 
of  our  brethren  and  sisters  in  Christ."  A 
sketch  of  his  life  and  labors  will  be  found 
in  the  history  of  the  Delevan  church. 

1854. 

The  Association  met  at  Chilicothe,  June 
14.  Three  churches  were  received  :  Con- 
cord, W,  McDermand,  minister,  with  21 
members  ;  Farmington  (a  new  organization), 
C.Davison,  minister,  with  24  members,  and 
Ontario,  R.  S.  Johnson,  minister,  with  18 
members.  The  churches  reported  283  bap- 
tisms, and  2087  members. 

The  Association  made  arrangements  to 
sustain  an  itinerant  missionary  in  its  bounds 
and  appointed  a  committee  to  superintend 
whe  work.  Elder  Daniel  E.  Bowen,  a 
Welshman,  from  Watertown,  Wisconsin, 


30  ASSOCIATION  IN  1855. 

was  employed  for  nine  months  of  the  ensu- 
ing year,  and  labored  with  much  success. 
Revivals  occurred  in  several  churches  with 
which  he  labored. 

A  copy  of  the  introductory  sermon 
preached  to  the  Association  by  G.  S.  Bailey 
was  requested  for  publication.  It  was 
published,  and  entitled  "  Baptist  Churches, 
Primitive  and  Apostolic." 

1855. 

The  Association  met  at  Metamora,  June 
13.  Six  churches  were  received  ;  Spoon 
River,  W.  G.  Gordon,  minister,  with  17 
members  ;  Adams  Street,  Peoria,  J.  Edminis- 
ter,  minister,  with  21  members  ;  Knox,  J. 
Winter,  minister,  with  31  members  ;  White- 
Jield,  W.  G.  Gordon,  minister,  with  24 
members ;  Lacon,  I.  S.  Mahan,  minister, 
with  19  members,  and  Quiver,  G.  S.  Bailey, 
minister,  with  8  members. 

The  churches  reported  178  baptisms  and 
2298  members. 

At  this  meeting,  G.  S.  Bailey,  H.  G. 
Weston,  and  S.  G.~  Miner,  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  prepare  for  publication  a 
hitory  of  this  Association. 

The  contributions  for  benevolent  objects 
this  year,  amount  to  about  $2600,  of  which 


ASSOCIATION  IN  1856. — CONCLUSION.      31 

over  $800  were  contributed  to  assist  feeble 
churches  in  building  houses  of  worship. 

1856. 

The  Association  met  at  Toulon,  June 
11.  Four  new  churches  were  received. 
Laprairie,  J.  M.  Stothard,  minister,  with  16 
members  ;  Galva,  M.  H.  Negus  minister, 
with  26  members  ;  Havanna,  F.  W.  Ingmire, 
minister,  with  33  members,  and  Cuba,  S. 
Neff,  minister,  with  19  members. 

The  churches  reported  273  baptisms  and 
2642  members.  It  was  a  year  of  rich  and 
abundant  blessings  to  the  churches.  Thirty 
of  the  churches  reported  additions  by  bap- 
tism. 


CONCLUSION. 

When  the  Association  was  formed  in 
1836,  the  entire  population  of  that  third  of 
the  State  of  Illinois,  which  lies  north  of  the 
latitude  of  Peoria,  was  about  40,000.  It 
is  now  over  540,000.  The  present  popula- 
tion of  the  field  embraced  by  this  Associa- 
tion is  about  100,000. 

The  Association  contains  38  churches 
and  30  pastors.  These  churches  are  located 
chiefly  in  Tazewell,  Woodford  and  Marshall 


32  ASSOCIATION  ;  CONCLUSION. 

counties,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Illinois  Ri- 
ver ;  and  in  Peoria,  Fulton,  Knox  and  Stark 
counties  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Its 
growth  has  been  rapid,  especially  during 
the  last  seven  years.  Most  of  the  churches 
have  now  comfortable  houses  of  worship, 
and  nearly  all  of  them  sustain  their  minis- 
try without  assistance  from  any  other  orga- 
nization. Several  of  the  most  prosperous 
churches  in  this  body  have  been  organized, 
or  materially  aided  in  the  early  period  of 
their  existence  by  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society.  The  meetings  of 
the  Association  have  been  characterized  by 
great  unanimity,  and  a  most  happy  degree 
of  peace  and  harmony  has  prevailed  within 
its  bounds.  Its  annual  gatherings  have  ge- 
nerally been  times  of  great  religious  enjoy- 
ment to  those  who  attended  them,  and  of 
spiritual  benefit  to  the  churches  where  they 
have  been  held. 

The  third  article  of  its  constitution 
clearly  defines  the  object  of  the  Association, 
and  an  earnest  desire  is  manifested  to  con- 
fine its  deliberations  entirely  to  the  objects 
specified.  "  Art.  3.  The  objects  to  be  pro- 
moted by  this  Association  are  the  follow- 
ing, and  these  only,  viz.  : — to  promote 
intercourse  and  friendship  between  the 
churches,  by  stated  meetings  ;  to  receive 


ASSOCIATION  ;  CONCLUSION.  33 

and  furnish  a  record  of  their  numbers  and 
annual  changes,  and  to  receive  and  apply 
the  contributions  for  benevolent  purposes, 
which  may  be  forwarded  from  year  to  year." 
A  strict  adherence  to  this  simple  object, 
not  allowing  any  foreign  or  different  ob- 
ject to  occupy  its  attention,  has  doubtless 
done  much  to  promote  its  harmony  and  the 
enjoyment  of  our  annual  convocations. 


34 


STATISTICAL  TABLE. 


STATISTICAL  TABLE. 

Containing  the  Summary  of  the  Statistics  of 
the  Jlssociction  for  each  Year. 


Year. 

Bap- 
tized. 

Rec'v'd  bj 
Letter.* 

Res- 
tor'd. 

Dismissed 
by  Letter. 

Exclu- 
ded. 

Died. 

Total. 

1836 

70 

1837 

15 

54 

2 

14 

2 

159 

1838 

47 

79 

1 

44 

5 

271 

1839 

81 

61 

1 

20 

17 

5 

373 

1840 

62 

72 

25 

1 

3 

490 

1841 

06 

66 

2 

31 

2 

5 

6-25 

1842 

120 

37 

2 

84 

8 

6 

746 

1843 

179 

53 

6 

33 

19 

6 

766 

1844 

42 

39 

51 

23 

10 

747 

1845 

26 

55 

1 

64 

31 

12 

779 

1846 

14 

63 

1 

33 

27 

15 

734 

1847 

37 

58 

26 

20 

17 

813 

1848 

24 

106 

16 

60 

11 

11 

955 

1849 

134 

38 

1 

27 

6 

6 

649 

1850 

201 

108 

56 

12 

12 

874 

1851 

365 

127 

69 

13 

12 

1341 

1852 

243 

156 

96 

28 

17 

1575 

1853 

244 

129 

3 

105 

28 

21 

1828 

1854 

283 

184 

5 

137 

57 

31 

2087 

1855 

178 

227 

2 

207 

44 

32 

2298 

1856 

273 

290 

4 

156 

56 

25 

2642 

Tot'l 

2524 

2002 

47 

1338 

405 

251 

*  Those  received  by  experience  without  Letters  are  counted 
among  those  received  by  Letter. 


REMARKS  ON  STATISTICAL  TABLE.  35 

REMARKS    ON    THE   STATISTICAL 
TABLE. 

INCREASE. 
^ 

By  reference  to  the  Table  it  will  be  seen 
that  1787  persons  have  been  baptized  in  the 
Association  during  the  last  seven  years,  an 
average  of  255  annually  ;  and  the  number 
of  members  is  more  than  four  times  as  large 
as  it  was  in  1849. 

STABILITY. 

The  whole  number  baptized  in  the  Asso- 
ciation from  its  organization  is  2,524.  The 
number  received  by  letter  is  2,002 ;  making 
a  total  of  4,526.  If  we  allow  that  the 
number  who  have  been  dismissed  by  one 
church  and  united  with  another  in  the  As- 
sociation, and  have  thus  been  counted  twice, 
is  about  equal  to  the  number  which  each 
church  had  when  it  was  constituted,  and 
which  is  not  reckoned  either  in  the  acces- 
sions by  baptism  or  by  letter,  the  4,526  will 
give  about  the  whole  number  who  have 
been  connected  with  the  churches  in  the  As- 
sociation. Of  this  number  405  have  been 
excluded,  47  of  those  excluded  have  been 
restored  to  membership,  leaving  358  as  the 


36  REMAEKS  ON  STATISTICAL  TABLE. 

number  not  restored.  It  is  believed  that 
about  one-third,  if  not  one-half,  of  those  re- 
ported as  excluded,  were  merely  dropt 
from  the  list  of  members,  as  having  been 
absent  from  the  church  for  a  year  a  two, 
and  not  heard  from,  or  had  united  with  some 
other  denomination.  Reckoning,  however, 
the  whole  number  of  those  reported  as  ex- 
cluded who  were  not  restored,  the  average 
is  but  one  exclusion  to  nearly  thirteen 
members  in  a  period  of  20  years.  These 
statistics  show  a  gratifying  stability  of  re- 
ligious character  among  the  members  of  our 
churches. 

HEALTH. 

It  will  be  seen  also  that  the  number  of 
deaths  is  very  small,  being  251  in  20  years. 
This  is  an  average  of  one  death  to  82 
members  annually.  What  section  of  coun- 
try will  show  more  favorable  statistics  of 
life  and  health  than  this  ?  These  facts 
prove  beyond  question  the  general  health- 
fulness  of  this  region  of  country. 


The  following  Table  shows  the  date  of 
the  organization  of  each  church  ;  the  whole 
number  baptized  from  its  organization  up  to 
1856  ;  and  the  present  number  of  members  : 


HISTOEICAL  TABLE. 

HISTORICAL  TABLE. 


37 


Names. 

When  Organized. 

No. 

No.  of 

Bap'd 

Members 

Canton, 

June  14,  1833, 

*642 

526 

Tremont, 

December  1,  1833, 

*62 

56 

Peoria,  1st  Church, 

August  14,  1836, 

175 

166 

Washington, 

March,  1838, 

61 

33 

Chilicothe, 

Spring  of  1838, 

99 

102 

Lamarsh, 

October  27,  1838, 

160 

137 

Galesburg, 

*178 

189 

Trivoli, 

March  2,  1839, 

32 

40 

Lafayette, 

June  15,  1839, 

35 

60 

Anawan, 

September  23,  1843, 

87 

111 

Henderson, 

March  9,  1844, 

19 

22 

Richland, 

September  27,  1844, 

82 

63 

Pelevan, 

December  17,  1846, 

34 

70 

Toulon, 

June  25,  1848, 

66 

106 

Steuben, 

July  7,  1849, 

71 

46 

Havanna, 

August  25,  1849, 

*9 

33 

Brimfleld, 

4th.  Sab.  in  May,  1850, 

81 

131 

Pekin,      ' 

November  7,  1850, 

32 

43 

Metamora, 

December  26,  1850, 

46 

83 

Morton, 

March  6,  1851, 

19 

22 

Kickapoo, 

March  29,  1851, 

29 

35 

Wethersfleld, 

May  17,  1851, 

+59 

101 

Richland  Valley, 

1st  Wednesday  in  Dec.  1851, 

5 

17 

Washburn, 

January,  1852, 

24 

75 

Belle  Plaine, 

February  26,  1852, 

30 

50 

Peoria,  German, 

August  24.  1852, 

6 

19 

Farmington, 

September  16,  1852, 

1°3 

29 

Concord, 

September  17,  1853, 

1 

24 

Ontario, 

April  29,  1854, 

2 

24 

Knox, 

June  24,  1854, 

t® 

50 

Quiver, 

August  18,  1854. 

3 

11 

Whitefield, 

Sfovember,  1854, 

32 

Peori»,  Adams  St. 

January  24,  1855, 

5 

24 

Lacon, 

March  31,  1855, 

12 

30 

Spoon  River, 

April  5,  1855. 

5 

21 

Cuba, 

June  9,  1855, 

1 

19 

Laprairie, 

June,  1855, 

1 

18 

Galva, 

August  14,  1855, 

26 

Other  Churches, 

339 

Total, 

2524 

2642 

*  Including  only  those  baptized  since  the  church  united  with 
his  Association, 
f  Including  only  those  baptized  since  the  new  organization. 


38 


ASSOCIATIONAL  RECORD. 


ASSOCIATIONAL  RECORD. 


? 

Where  Met. 

Moderator  and  Clerk. 

Introductory  Pr  toch- 
er and  Text. 

CT^ 
?  § 

1836 

Peoria, 

Thomas  Brown, 

70 

Thomas  Powell, 

1837 

Peoria, 

Thomas  Brown, 

Thomas  Brown, 

159 

David  Roberts, 

Gal.  4  :  16. 

1838 

Princeton, 

Thomas  Brown, 

Thomas  Powell, 

271 

Thomas  Powell, 

1  Cor.  15  :  58. 

1839 

Tremont, 

Thomas  Brown, 

Thomas  Powell, 

373 

Thomas  Powell, 

John  17  :  21. 

1840 

Lowell, 

Isaac  Merriam, 

G.  B.  Perry, 

490 

B   B.  Carpenter, 

Eph.  2  :  4-6. 

1841 

Canton, 

Thomas  Powell, 

Thomas  Powell, 

625 

David  Roberts, 

1  John  1  :  3. 

1842 

Dixon, 

Thomas  Powell, 

Isaac  D.  Newell, 

746 

R.  Van  Metev, 

Heb.  6  :  1. 

1843 

Knoxville, 

Henry  Headly, 

B.  F.  Brabrook. 

766 

John  Woodruff, 

Col.  1  :  28. 

1844 

Washington, 

Thomas  Powell, 

Isaac  D.  Newell, 

747 

H.  G.  Weston, 

Mat.  16  :  18. 

1845 

Lamoille, 

Thomas  Powell, 

H.  G   Weston, 

779 

H.  G.  Weston, 

1  Cor.  1  :  22-24. 

1846 

Granville, 

Isaac  D.  Newell, 

S.  S.  Martin, 

734 

Otis  Fisher, 

Rev.  14  :  13. 

1847 

Canton, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

Isaac  Merriam, 

813 

T.  Maple, 

Rom.  3  :  24,  25. 

1848 

Ottawa, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

955 

S.  S.  Martin, 

2  Cor.  5  :  7. 

1849 

Lamarsh, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

Samuel  Ladd, 

649 

Simon  G.  Miner, 

2  Cor.  13  :  5. 

1850 

Peoria, 

Simon  G.  Miner, 

Chas.  E.  Tinker, 

874 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

Heb.  13  :  1. 

1851 

Lafayette, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

1341 

W.  T.  Bly, 

1  Tim.  5  :  8. 

1852 

Galesburg, 

Simon  G.  Miner, 

C.  D.  Merit, 

1575 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

Ps.  145:  16. 

1853 

Tremont, 

Simon  G.  Miner, 

Simon  G.  Miner, 

1828 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

Luke  10  :  20. 

1854 

Chilicothe, 

H.  G.  Weston, 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

2087 

S.  S.  Martin, 

Acts  17  :  6. 

1855 

Metamora, 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

I.  S.  Mahan, 

2298 

J.  Edminster, 

Isa.  52  :  7. 

1856 

Toulon, 

Gilbert  S.  Bailey, 

Joel  Sweet, 

2642 

J.  Edminster, 

Acts  20  :  24. 

HISTORY   OP  THE  CHURCHES,  CANTON.      39 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCHES. 

CANTON. 

The  Baptist  Church  in  Canton,  Fulton 
county,  is  the  largest  Baptist  church  in  Il- 
linois, now  consisting  of  526  members.  It 
is  located  in  a  delightful  section  of  country. 
The  village  of  Canton  contains  a  population 
of  a  little  more  than  2000.  A  great  number 
of  the  members  of  the  church  live  in  the 
surrounding  country. 

The  germ  of  this  church  bears  an  earlier 
date  than  any  other  in  the  Association.  On 
the  14th  day  of  June,  1833,  a  council  was 
called  at  the  house  of  Wm.  Spencer,  in 
Banner  Township,  Fulton  county.  Elders 
John  Logan  and  Gardner  Bartlett  were 
present,  and  a  church  of  four  members  were 
constituted.  The  members  were  elder  John 
Clark,  Wm.  Spencer,  Anna  Clark  and 
Rachel  Spencer.  Three  were  natives  of 
New  York,  and  one  of  Kentucky.  The 
church  was  called  the  United  Baptist 
Church  of  Duck  Creek. 

The  few  little  Baptist  churches  which  ex- 
isted in  the  region  of  country  around,  were 
opposed  to  Missions,  Sabbath  Schools,  etc. 
The  constituent  members  of  the  Duck  Creek 


40  CANTON. 

church  were  ejected  from  the  Bethel  church 
(now  extinct),  on  account  of  their  favoring 
Benevolent  Societies. 

Elder  John  Clarke  preached  to  this 
church  from  its  origin  until  the  following 
December.  In  November,  1833,  Nathan 
West  united  with  the  church,  and  was  li- 
censed to  preach  in  the  following  June,  and 
was  ordained  in  September,  1834,  at  the 
session  of  the  Salem  Association  at  New 
Hope.  Elder  Jacob  Bowers  preached  the 
sermon  on  that  occasion.  Elder  Gardner 
Bartlett  offered  the  ordaining  prayer ; 
elder  John  Logan  gave  the  charge,  and 
elder  John  Clarke  gave  the  hand  of  fellow- 
ship. The  church  became  connected  with 
the  Salem  Association  during  the  same 
meeting. 

The  meetings  of  the  church  were  held  in 
the  private  houses  of  the  members  until 
July,  1837,  when  it  assumed  the  name  of  the 
Canton  church.  It  then  numbered  18 
members.  Previous  to  this  time  they  were 
supplied  with  preaching  only  part  of 
the  time.  In  1837  the  church  was  dis- 
missed from  the  Salem  Association,  and 
united  with  the  Illinois  River  Association. 
In  November  of  the  same  year,  elder  G.  B. 
Perry  became  pastor  of  the  church,  which 
then  numbered  but  17  members,  and  contin- 


CANTON.  41 

ued  in  this  relation  three  years.  During 
the  first  two  years  of  elder  Perry's  pasto- 
rate, the  church  met  sometimes  in  the  Me- 
thodist meeting-house  ;  sometimes  in  private 
houses,  or  in  the  college  edifice,  which  was 
subsequently  demolished  by  a  severe  storm. 
The  church  increased  under  the  labors  of 
Mr.  Perry  to  113  members. 

Their  first  house  of  worship  was  dedicated 
on  the  fourth  Lord's  day  in  October,  1839. 
It  cost  about  $1500,  and  was  at  that  time 
the  best  house  of  worship  on  the  Military 
Tract. 

Elder  Isaac  D.  Newell  became  pastor  of 
the  church  November  11,  1840,  and  con- 
tinued in  that  relation  for  three  years.  His 
labors  were  successful,  and  large  accessions 
were  made.  In  1841  the  church  reported 
52  baptisms,  and  the  next  year  47.  In 
November,  1843,  elder  Newell  closed  his 
labors,  and  elder  Isaac  Merriam  preached 
as-  a  supply  on  alternate  Sabbaths  for  three 
months.  Elder  Thomas  Powell  assisted  in 
a  series  of  meetings  previous  to. the  pasto- 
rate of  elder  Newell,  and  also  again  during 
his  pastorate.  Elder  H.  W.  Dodge,  then  pas- 
tor at  Springfield,  and  now  in  Virginia,  also 
assisted  in  a  series  of  meetings  during  the 
pastorate  of  elder  Newell.  These  brethren 
will  long  be  held  in  high  esteem  by  the 
church  for  their  useful  services. 


42  CANTON. 

In  July,  1844,  elder  Alba  Gross  became 
the  pastor  and  continued  in  that  relation 
two  years.  Difficulties  which  had  previ- 
ously commenced  in  the  church,  made 
the  pastorate  of  elder  Gross  a  trying  one, 
and  the  prosperity  of  the  church  was  greatly 
impeded  by  them,  and  the  pastor  labored 
under  great  embarrassments  and  discou- 
ragements. The  church,  for  a  period*  of 
four  or  five  years,  labored  under  severe 
trials  which  threatened  its  dissolution.  'But 
God  had  a  brighter  page  in  its  history  re- 
served for  the  future.  Elder  Gross  resigned 
June  7,  1846.  He  has  subsequently  been 
agent  of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  and  the  pastor  of  several  churches 
in  the  Association. 

The  Canton  church  was  destitute  of  a 
pastor  for  a  year.  In  June,  1847,  the  Illi- 
nois River  Association  held  its  anniversary 
at  Canton.  This  meeting  was  attended 
with  the  Divine  presence  and  blessing,  and 
the  counsels  of  those  who  were  present  on 
that  occasion  resulted  in  restoring  harmony 
to  the  church,  and  in  installing  a  new  era 
in  its  history.  It  will  long  be  remembered 
with  gratitude  to  God  and  to  the  brethren 
who,  under  God,  were  made  instrumental 
in  restoring  peace  to  Zion. 

Elder  Erastus  Miner  became  pastor  of 


CANTON.  43 

the  church  in  June,  1847.  Some  additions 
were  made  to  the  church  by  letter,  and 
general  harmony  prevailed.  In  December 
following  elder  Morgan  Edwards,  an  evan- 
gelist, came  to  aid  the  pastor  in  a  series  of 
meetings.  He  labored  about  three  weeks, 
and  a  glorious  out-pouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  experienced.  The  church  was 
greatly  encouraged  and  strengthened,  and 
57  were  added  by  baptism.  The  pastor 
closed  his  labors  with  the  church  March 
26,  1848.  The  church  had  only  occasional 
preaching  for  the  next  eight  months. 

The  present  pastor,  elder  Simon  G. 
Miner,  commenced  his  labors  with  the  church 
Nov.  20,  1848.  The  church,  at  the  Asso- 
ciation in  June  previous  reported  190 
members.  Their  meeting-house  soon  be- 
came crowded  and  insufficient  to  accommo- 
date the  congregation.  Incipient  measures 
were  taken  to  build  a  more  commodious 
house  of  worship.  Their  present  house  was 
completed  in  February,  1853.  It  cost 
$13,000,  and  is  55  feet  wide  and  87  feet 
long,  with  a  basement  11  feet  high  in  the 
clear,  and  containing  a  lecture-room  40  by 
50  feet,  with  several  smaller  rooms  for  other 
purposes.  The  main  audience  room  is  50  by 
70  feet,  24  feet  high  in  the  clear,  with  a 
gallery  across  one  end. 

During  the  first  year  of  the  labors  of  the 


44  CANTON. 

V.     . 

present  pastor,  he  was  assisted  a  few  days 
and  nights  by  elder  Gross,  a  former  pastor, 
and  an  interesting  revival  was  enjoyed. 
Six  were  baptized  during  the  year.  The 
second  year  of  his  pastorate  was  not  mark- 
ed by  any  great  display  of  God's  power, 
yet  some  tokens  of  Divine  favor  were  man- 
ifested, and  five  were  baptized. 

The  third  year,  1850-1,  will  be  held  in 
sweet  and  lasting  remembrance,  as  a  year 
of  the  right  hand  of  the  Most  High.  Elder 
Jacob  Knapp,  the  successful  and  well-known 
evangelist,  assisted  the  pastor,  and  la- 
bored assiduously  for  five  weeks.  The  work 
continued  with  great  power  for  five  months, 
and  at  the  Association  in  June  the  church 
reported  251  baptisms,  and  453  members. 
It  is  believed  that  over  300  souls  were 
hopefully  converted  in  this  revival. 

The  fourth  year  of  elder  Miner's  pasto- 
rate was  one  of  great  harmony,  but  no  special 
revival  was  enjoyed.  The  fifth  year,  in 
Feb.,  1853,  the  church  dedicated  their  new 
house  of  worship.  Elder  H.  G.  Weston,  of 
Peoria,  preached  the  dedication  sermon  to 
a  crowded  audience.  He  remained  and  as- 
sisted the  pastor  for  three  weeks,  during 
which  time  49  were  added  by  baptism. 
This  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  revivals 


CANTON.  45 

the  church  ever  enjoyed.     This  year  the 
church  numbered  476  members,. 

The  sixth  year,  1853-4,  was  marked  with 
the  special  favor  of  Almighty  God.  Elder 
Morgan  Edwards  again  assisted  the  pastor 
for  four  weeks,  during  which  time  about  100 
souls  were  hopefully  converted,  86  of  whom 
united  with  the  church  by  baptism,  and  in 
June,  1854,  the  church  reported  520  mem 
bers. 

During  the  seventh  year,  1854-5,  the  pas- 
tor and  church  were  favored  with  the  labors 
of  elder  Ichabod  Clark,  then  agent  of  the 
General  Association,  for  three  weeks. 
Another  refreshing  was  experienced,  and  31 
were  baptized. 

The  eighth  year,  1855-6,  was  also  one  of 
rich  blessings.  Elder  A.  J.  Joslyn  labored 
with  them  nearly  three  weeks,  greatly  to 
the  edification  of  the  church,  and  the 
good  of  souls,  and  16  were  baptized. 

In  reviewing  the  past  history  of  this 
church,  we  gratefully  exclaim,  "  What  hath 
God  wrought !  "  "  Hitherto  the  Lord  hath 
helped  us ! "  This  church  was  aided  for 
some  years  by  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  and  is  a  noble  monument 
of  the  beneficent  results  of  that  Institution. 
For  several  years  it  has  aided  largely  the 
benevolent  objects  of  the  day.  One  year 
5* 


46  CANTON. 

it  contributed  $708,  and  during  the  last  year 
it  has  mado.  provision  for  canceling  a  debt 
of  $6,300,  on  the  meeting  house. 

The  present  pastor  is  a  native  of  Brook- 
field,  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y.  He  was  educa- 
ted at  Madison  University,  has  been  pastor 
of  the  Rushford  church,  Alleghany  Co.,  N. 
Y.,  agent  of  the  Genesee  Sunday  School 
Union,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Penfield, 
Munroe  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  of  the  Lafayette 
church  in  Indiana,  and  of  the  Franklin 
church,  Indiana,  and  has  been  for  one  year 
agent  of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Union,  for  Indiana  and  Illinois. 

Seven  men  have  been  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Canton  church.  They  are  Wm.  W. 
Freeman,  John  E.  Moore,  Richard  S.  John- 
son, Charles  West,  Joshua  Miner,  John  M. 
Spencer,  and  Reuben  Weeks.  Three  of 
them  have  been  ordained,  namely  :  Moore, 
Freeman  and  Johnson.  Elder  Moore  is 
pastor  at  Brighton,  111.  ;  elder  Freeman 
is  pastor  at  Spanish  Needle  Prairie  ;  and 
elder  Johnson  resides  at  Galesburg,  111. 
Charles  West  and  Joshua  Miner  are  now 
in  California.  Reuben  Weeks  is  a  student 
in  Madison  University,  N.  Y.  John  M. 
Spencer  is  deceased. 

The  history  of  the  Canton  church  shows 
times  of  sorrow  and  of  joy,  of  adversity 


TEEMONT.  47 

and  prosperity.  For  nine  years  past  it  has 
enjoyed  great  peace  and  harmony,  in  all 
its  relations  and  in  all  its  doings.  Its  four 
constituent  members  were  persons  of  great 
moral  worth,  and  it  has  embraced  many 
such  in  its  subsequent  membership. 

Present  number,  526. 

Pastor,  Simon  G.  Miner. 

Deacons,  John  G.  Piper  and  Horatio  C. 
Nelson. 

Clerk,  Israel  S.  Piper. 


TREMONT. 

The  earliest  organization  of  a  Baptist 
church  in  the  bounds  of  the  Illinois  River 
Association,  except  that  at  Canton,  was  at 
Pleasant  Grove,  in  Tazewell  county.  Some 
of  the  earliest  settlers  were  Baptists.  They 
emigrated  to  Tazewell  county  chiefly  from 
Kentucky  and  Ohio,  and  settled  near  Pleas- 
ant Grove  previous  to  1833,  while  several 
tribes  of  Indians  were  living  in  the  vicinity. 

A  Baptist  church  was  organized  about 
the  first  of  December,  1833,  at  the  house  of 
Mr.  Lucas,  near  Pleasant  Grove,  and  three 
miles  west  of  the  present  town  of  Tremont. 
The  place  was  owned  and  occupied  for  sev- 


48  TREMONT. 

eral  years  by  Mr.  Charles  Jones,  and  is  now 
the  residence  of  Mrs.  Edes.  The  church 
was  constituted  with  14  members  :  Mr. 
Lucas,  Mrs.  Lucas,  A.  W.  Van  Meter,  Eli- 
zabeth Hinsey,  Mrs.  Wright,  Margaret 
Wright,  Mrs.  Varble,  Eva  Varble,  Thomas 
Goforth,  Mrs.  Goforth,  Mrs.  Broyhill,  Mrs. 
Briggs,  Wm.  Hinsey  and  Peter  Lucas. 

Elders  Michael  Mann  and Harper 

were  present  at  the  organization.  Elder 
Mann  resided  near  Springfield,  and  is  still 
living  at  Lake  Fork,  in  Logan  County. 
He  continued  to  preach  to  this  church  once 
a  month,  for  about  two  years.  He  lived 
about  fifty  miles  south  of  this  little  church, 
and  in  making  his  monthly  visits  across  the 
vast  prairies  on  horseback,  he  was  obliged 
in  summer  to  travel  the  whole  distance  in  the 
night,  in  order  to  avoid  the  swarms  of  prairie 
flies  which  were  excessively  annoying  to  a 
horse,  and  would  sometimes  bleed  a  horse 
to  death.  Since  the  country  has  become 
more  settled,  they  are  less  troublesome. 

About  a  year  after  this  church  was  con- 
stituted, Win.  C.  Van  Meter,  a  son  of  A. 
W.  Van  Meter,  was  baptized  into  its  fellow- 
ship, at  the  age  of  thirteen.  For  several 
years  he  has  been  engaged  in  preaching  the 
gospel.  He  is  now  agent  of  the  Five  Points' 
Mission  in  New  York  city,  and  has  done 
much  in  the  cause  of  humanity  in  providing 


TBEMONT.  *  49 

homes  in  the  West  for  many  destitute 
children  of  that  great  metropolis. 

Elder  Bocock  preached  for  a  short  time 
to  the  church.  He  came  from  the  borders 
of  Kentucky  and  Virginia.  In  1835  elder 
Thomas  Brown,  from  New  York,  settled  'in 
the  vicinity,  and  became  pastor  of  the 
church. 

The  missionary  question  soon  caused  a 
division  of  feeling.  Nearly  all  the  consti- 
tuent members,  except  Mr.  Van  Meter,  were 
opposed  to  missions  and  temperance  socie- 
ties. But  several  persons  had  united  by 
letter  and  by  baptism,  who  favored  these 
causes.  The  church  had  united  with  the 
Sangamon  Association,  a  strongly  anti-mis- 
sion body.  In  1835  the  Sangamon  Asso- 
ciation met  with  the  Pleasant  Grove  church, 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Munden.  It  then 
passed  a  resolution  requesting  its  churches 
to  exclude  all  members  who  advocated  the 
cause  of  missions,  and  would  not  renounce 
such  views.  The  resolution  was  opposed  in 
the  Association  by  elder  Thomas  Brown 
and  Dea.  Van  Meter.  At  the  next  monthly 
meeting  the  church  excluded  the  missionary 
party,  which  numbered  17  members,  and 
was  nearly,  if  not  quite,  equal  in  number  to 
the  other  party.  Some  of  those  who  were 
excluded  think  the  missionary  party  were  a 


50  TREMONT. 

majority  of  the  church.  Elder  Brown  and 
six  others  of  the  missionary  members  were 
absent  from  the  church  meeting  that  day, 
attending  the  funeral  of  Dea.  Van  Meter's 
oldest  son  in  Washington,  fourteen  miles 
distant.  Dea.  Van  Meter  had  sent  notice 
in  the  morning  of  that  day  to  the  church, 
requesting  them  to  delay  action  on  the 
mission  question,  on  account  of  the  neces- 
sary absence  of  those  concerned,  who  were 
attending  the  funeral  of  his  son.  But  his 
request  was  not  granted,  and  on  that  day 
the  pastor,  elder  Brown,  and  the  Deacons, 
Lemuel  .Harris  and  A.  W.  Van  Meter,  and 
the  Clerk,  David  Roberts,  and  thirteen 
others,  were  excluded.  These,  however,  had 
the  records  of  the  church,  all  the  officers  of 
the  church,  and  still  claimed  to  be  the  Plea- 
sant Grove  church.  They  subsequently 
gave  up  the  records  to  the  other  party. 

They  held  regular  meetings,  and  elder 
Brown  preached  to  them.  They  eventually 
made  Tremont  their  place  of  meeting,  and 
changed  their  name  to  the  Tremont  Baptist 
church  in  1843. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hinsey,  who  was  present 
at  the  division  of  the  church  in  1835,  and  is 
still  a  member  of  the  old  Pleasant  Grove 
(anti-mission)  church,  thinks  the  action  of 
the  church  was  not  regarded  as  an  exclusion 


TREMONT.  51 

of  either  party,  but  a  mutual  separation. 
When  the  division  occurred,  the  anti-mis- 
sion party  rose  up  and  went  to  the  other 
side  of  the  house,  while  the  mission  party 
sat- still.  I  have  no t  been  able  to'  find  the 
records  of  the  meeting. 

Elder  Brown,  and  elder  Isaac  Merriam, 
the  latter  having  moved  into  the  neighbor- 
hood from  Bristol,  Connecticut,  preached  to 
the  church  until  1843.  In  1837  the  church 
reported  three  baptisms,  in  1838,  six,  and 
one  in  1839.  In  1841  and  1842  several 
were  dismissed  by  letter.  Some  difficulties 
existed  in  the  church  until  Feb.  13,  1842, 
when  something  like  a  reorganization  of 
the  church  took  place,  though  no  council 
was  called.  The  brethren  and  sisters  who 
had  met  mutually  gave  each  other  the  hand 
of  fellowship.  In  1842  the  church  reported 
12  members.  In  the  fall  of  1842,  Elder 
Thomas  Powell  held  a  series  of  meetings 
with  the  church,  and  they  enjoyed  a  precious 
revival.  At  the  Association  in  1843  they 
reported  24  baptisms  and  49  members. 
Elder  Isaac  Merriam  is  still  a  member  of 
the  Tremont  church,  and  occasionally 
preaches  in  destitute  places  in  the  vicinity. 

Elder  Thomas  Brown  died  Sept.  9,  1849, 
in  the  83d  year  of  his  age.  He  was  a  native 
of  New  England.  He  made  a  profession  of 


52  TREMOXT. 

religion  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  removed  to  Colwell  in  Canada, 
where  he  was  instrumental  in  forming  a 
Baptist  church.  He  was  ordained  at  Swan- 
ton,  Vermont,  where  he  preached  for  seve- 
ral years.  He  afterwards  preached  at 
Newport,  N.  H.,  and  again  at  Swanton, 
Vermont,  and  for  15  or  16  years  in  West- 
ern New  York,  and  for  nearly  thirteen 
years  in  Illinois. 

Elder  Isaac  D.  Newell,  then  the  pastor  of 
the  Peoria  church,  commenced  preaching  to 
the  Tremont  church  part  of  the  time,  in 
December,  1843,  and  continued  his  labors 
until  July,  1846.-  During  the  pastorate  of 
Elder  Newell  the  church  built  a  very  good 
meeting-house,  32  by  44  feet,  at  Tremont, 
then  the  county  seat  of  Tazewell  county.  In 
the  erection  of  their  house  of  worship  some 
assistance  was  obtained  from  the  east  by 
elder  Newell. 

In  July,  1846,  elder  Samuel  Ladd,  of 
Ottawa,  Ills.,  became  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  continued  his  labors  until  May,  1849. 
He  then  removed  to  New  Hampshire,  where 
he  has  since  died. 

In  October,  1849,  elder  G.  S.  Bailey  re- 
signed the  charge  of  the  church  in  Spring- 
field, Ills.,  and  became  pastor  of  the  Tre- 
mont church,  and  continued  his  labors  until 


TREMONT.  53 

October,  1851,  preaching  also  apart  of  the 
time  at  Pekin.  Something  of  a  revival 
was  enjoyed  in  the  fall  of  1849,  when  the 
pastor  was  aided  by  elder  Weston.  Six 
were  baptized.  A  nucleus  of  a  church  hav- 
ing been  gathered  in  Pekin,  on  the  Illinois 
River,  then  a  town  of  some  1200  inhabi- 
tants, and  rapidly  increasing,  the  county 
seat  having  been  removed  to  that  place,  the 
pastor  resigned  the  charge  of  the  church 
at  Tremont,  and  removed  to  Pekin. 

In  November,  1851,  elder  S.  S.  Martin, 
of  Dixon,  Ills.,  became  pastor,  and  contin- 
ued his  labors  until  September,  1853,  when 
he  resigned  and  took  charge  of  the  Baptist 
church  at  Delevan.  Some  additions  were 
made  by  baptism  during  elder  Martin's 
pastorate. 

In  April,  1854,  elder  J.  W.  Nye,  of  Pipe 
Creek  church,  Indiana,  and  formerly  of 
Durhamville,  N.  Y.,  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  continued  his  labors  until  April, 
1856.  Some  were  baptized  during  his  la- 
bors. In  1856,  he  removed  to  Page  county, 
Iowa,  and  died  near  Hawleyville,  Feb.  25, 
1857. 

In  November,  1856,  elder  E.  0.  Whitaker 
became  the  pastor,  and  now  sustains  that 
relation. 

6 


54  TREMONT. 

Tremont  is  a  village  of  about  500  inhabi- 
tants, ten  miles  from  the  Illinois  River,  and 
in  the  midst  of  a  fine  farming  community. 
This  church  has  been  the  parent  church  of 
many  others  in  this  region  of  country,  and 
by  the  dismissal  of  its  members  to  form 
other  churches  in  the  region  around,  its 
own  members  have  been  frequently  reduced. 
Members  from  this  church  have  become  con- 
stituent members  in  churches  at  Peoria, 
Washington,  Morton,  and  others.  And  from 
these,  nearly  or  quite  half,  of  the  churches 
in  the  Association  have  been  formed. 

From  1843  to  1850,  the  church  was 
aided  by  the  Home  Mission  Society  in  sus- 
taining its -pastor. 

Present  number  of  members,  56. 

Pastor,  E.  0.  Whitaker. 
,    Deacons,  John  H.  Harris,  Samuel  Brooks, 
A.  Sperry. 

Clerk,  Henry  H.  Gillum. 


PEORIA,   FIRST   CHURCH.  55 


PEORIA,  FIRST  CHURCH. 

Peoria  is  the  largest  town  in  the  bounds  of 
the  Illinois  River  Association,  and  now  con- 
tains a  population  of  about  18,000.  It  was 
formerly  a  French  trading  post,  and  in 
the  early  records  of  the  west,  is  known  as 
the  location  of  FORT  CLARK.  In  1836  its 
population  numbered  but  a  few  hundreds. 

The  First  church  of  baptized  believers  in 
Peoria,  was  constituted  August  14, 1836,  of 
ten  members.  These  were  Henry  Headly, 
J.  R.  Stanton,  elder  A.  M.  Gardner,  Adam 
Gardner,  Wm,  Swinerton,  Alpheus  Rich- 
ardson, Ruth  Chichester,  Mary  Stanton, 
Mary/Frye  and  Malinda  Headly*  None  of 
them  now  remain  members  of  the  church. 
In  1837  the  church  reported  one  baptized, 
and  20  members.  Henry  Headly  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  ministry  soon 
after  the  organization  of  the  church. 

Elder  Alexander  Ridler  was  the  first 
pastor.  He  commenced  his  labors  in  the 
fall  of  1837.  In  the  minutes  of  1838  it  is 
mentioned  that  elder  Headly  labored  with 
the  church  for  a  short  time  ;  that  elder 
Brown  of  Pleasant  Grove  (Tremont),  had 
aided  them  occasionally,  and  administered 
the  ordinances,  and  that  they  had  been  tem- 


56  PEOEIA,   FIRST   CHURCH. 

porarily    supplied   by   elders    Southwood, 
Gardner,  Silliman  and  Ridler. 

In  Nov.,  1839,  elder  A.  M.  Gardner  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church,  and  continued 
in  that  relation  until  June,  1842.  In  1839 
the  church  reported  33  members  ;  in  1840, 

26  members  ;  in  1841, 22  members  ;  in  1842, 
4  baptisms  and  28  members  ;  and  in  1843, 

27  members. 

In  the  fall  of  1843,  elder  I.  D.  Newell 
became  the  pastor.  Up  to  this  period  the 
church  had  taken  no  steps  towards  building 
a  house  of  worship.  Soon  after  the  com- 
mencement of  elder  Newell's  labors,  he 
instituted  vigorous  measures  towards  the 
attainment  of  this  desirable  end.  The 
members  of  the  church  were  so  few  and  so 
destitute  of  property,  that  the  undertaking 
appeared  a  hopeless  one,  but  by  the  un- 
wearied diligence  of  the  pastor,  his  efforts 
were  crowned  with  success.  He  obtained 
assistance  in  the  work  from  churches  in  the 
East,  and  on  the  17th  of  October,  1846,  a 
brick  edifice,  40  by  65,  with  basement, 
steeple  and  bell,  was  opened  by  appropriate 
religious  services.  In  1844  the  church  re- 
ported one  baptism,  and  30  members  ;  in 
1845,  one  baptism  and  32  members  ;  in  1846, 
35  members. 


PEORIA,   FIRST   CHURCH.  57 

The  first  revival  ever  enjoyed  by  the 
church,  immediately  followed  the  opening 
of  their  new  house  of  worship,  which  became 
the  scene  of  spiritual  triumph,  peculiarly 
grateful  to  him  who  had  labored  so  long 
and  so  arduously  for  its  erection.  The 
pastor  was  assisted  in  this  revival  by  elder 
Morgan  Edwards.  In  the  midst  of  the  re- 
vival, elder  Newell  resigned  the  pastoral 
care  of  the  church,  to  become  the  agent  of 
Shurtleff  College. 

Elder  H.  G.  Weston  commenced  his 
labors  as  pastor  Nov.  1, 1846.  At  the  next 
meeting  of  the  Association,  the  church  re- 
ported 21  baptisms  and  64  members.  No 
material  changes  occurred  in  the  church 
until  1850,  when  a'  precious  revival  was 
enjoyed  under  the  labors  of  elder  Jacob 
Knapp.  The  pastor,  elder  Weston,  was 
for  a  time  deprived  of  the  use  of  his  voice, 
and  during  this  interesting  revival,  scarcely 
spoke  above  a  whisper,  though  he  was 
present  at  the  meetings.  In  1850  the  church 
reported  53  baptisms,  and  89  members  :  26 
had  been  dismissed  by  letter,  to  form  new 
churches. 

The  pastor  recovered  the  use  of  his  voice 
in  a  few  months,  and  in  the  winter  follow- 
ing, the  church  enjoyed  another  revival,  in 
which  the  pastor  was  assisted  bv  elder  I. 
6* 


58  PEOEIA,   FIRST   CHURCH. 

Clark.  In  1851, 11  baptisms  and  100  mem- 
bers were  reported.  Since  that  time  the 
church  has  enjoyed  seasons  of  religious 
interest  to  a  greater  or  less  degree  every 
year.  In  1852  they  reported  8  baptisms 
and  111  members  ;  in  1853, 14  baptisms  and 
126  members  ;  in  1854,  23  baptisms  and 
158  members  ;  in  1855,  14  baptisms  and 
157  members  ;  and  in  1856,  19  baptisms 
and  166  members.  The  church  has  been 
instrumental  in  organizing  the  German  Bap- 
tist church,  and  the  Adams  street  church, 
in  Peoria. 

The  First  Baptist  church  in  Peoria  was 
aided  by  the  American  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sion Society,  in  sustaining  its  pastor  from 
October,  1843,  to  November,  1847.  It  has 
since  done  much  in  aiding  others. 

In  November,  1849,  Orlando  J.  Sherman, 
a  member  of  this  church,  was  ordained  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  gave  high 
promise  of  usefulness,  but  a  year  afterward 
the  Lord  called  him  home.  Additional 
facts  in  reference  to  him  are  found  in  the 
history  of  the  Washington  Church. 

Present  number  of  members,  166. 

Pastor,  Henry  G.  Weston. 

Deacons,  Benjamin  Frye,  John  L.  Kent 
and  F.  W.  Burdette. 

Clerk,  Henry  Nolte. 


WASHINGTON.  59 


WASHINGTON. 

Washington  is  a  village  in  the  north  part 
of  Tazewell  county.  In  November,  1831, 
A.  W.  Van  Meter  removed  from  Elizabeth- 
town,  Harding  county,  Kentucky,  to  this 
place.  For  a  long  time  he  could  hear  of 
no  Baptist  in  that  region  of  country.  Dur- 
ing the  next  summer,  however,  he  met  with 
brother  James  Scott  and  wife,  who  resided 
near  Pleasant  Grove.  At  that  time  no  Bap- 
tist church  existed  nearer  to  them  than 
Springfield,  70  miles  south.  For  many 
months,  brother  Van  Meter  retired  to  a 
grove  daily,  and  prayed  God  to  send  some 
minister  of  the  gospel  into  this  region.  In 
1833  the  Pleasant  Grove  church  was  form- 
ed, and  brother  Van  Meter  was  one  of  its 
constituent  members,  though  he  resided 
about  14  miles  from  Pleasant  Grove.  El- 
der Brown,  the  pastor  of  the  Pleasant  Grove 
church,  preached  in  Washington  once  a 
month,  and  the  members  who  resided  at 
Washington,  were  regarded  as  a  branch  of 
that  church  for  several  years. 

In  February,  1838,  elder  I.  I).  Newell, 
then  of  Bloomington  ;  elder  Ridler,  of 
Peoria,  and  elder  Brown,  held  a  protracted 
meeting  at  Washington,  in  a  new  and  un- 


60  WASHINGTON. 

occupied  dwelling  house.  Several  persons 
were  converted,  and  these  were  baptized, 
among  whom  were  Orlando  J.  Sherman, 
who  afterwards  became  a  minister.  He 
was  born  in  Franklin  county,  N.  Y.,  May 
18,  1825,  and  was  ordained  in  Peoria,  in 
November,  1849.  After  a  brief  period  of 
useful  labor  in  the  ministry,  he  died,  at  the 
residence  of  his .  father,  near  Metamora, 
October  24,  1850,  in  the  26th  year  of  his 
age. 

At  the  close  of  the  protracted  meeting  in 
Washington,  the  members  residing  there 
were  organized  into  an  independent  church, 
in  March,  1838.  They  then  numbered  17 
members.  At  the  Association  in  September 
following,  they  reported  3  baptisms  and  23 
members.  Wm.  C.  Van  Meter,  of  whom 
mention  is  made  in  the  history  of  the  Tre- 
mont  church,  was  one  of  the  constituent 
members  of  this. 

Elder  Thomas  Brown  continued  to  preach 
to  this  church,  and  in  1841  it  reported  7 
baptisms  and  28  members  ;  in  1842,  5  bap- 
tisms and  34  members. 

Elder  Charles  E.  Dodge  preached  to  the 
church  during  the  summer  of  1842.  He 
was  subsequently  pastor  in  Bloomington, 
and  now  resides  at  Springfield. 


WASHINGTON.  61 

In  1843,  elder  H.  G.  Western,  then  re- 
cently from  the  Franklin  Association,  in 
Kentucky,  but  formerly  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  be- 
came pastor  of  this  church.  This  year  7 
baptisms  and  36  members  were  reported. 
Elder  Weston  continued  pastor  of  this 
church  until  the  fall  of  1846,  when  he  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church  in  Peoria.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  he  preached  a  portion  of 
the  time  at  Richland,  12  miles  north  of 
Washington,  where-  a  number  of  the  mem- 
bers resided.  In  July,  1844,  he  baptized  at 
Richland,  Augustus  B.  Cramb,  a  young 
school  teacher,  who  subsequently  became 
an  eminently  useful  minister,  and  who  was 
instrumental  in  establishing  several  Baptist 
churches  in  Woodford  county.  A  sketch 
of  his  life  will  be  found  in  the  history  of  the 
Metamora  church. 

In  1844  the  church  reported  38  members. 
In  September,  1844,  the  members  residing 
at  Richland  were  organized  into  a  separate 
church.  In  1845,  4  baptisms  and  32  mem- 
bers were  reported,  and  during  this  year 
they  completed  their  house  of  worship.  In 
1846  they  reported  one  baptism  and  38 
members. 

In  1847,  elder  Wm.  T.  Ely,  from  Indiana, 
became  pastor  of  the  church,  and  continued 
his  labors  in  Washington  for  four  years, 


62  WASHINGTON. 

During  the  first  year,  he  preached  all 'the 
time  to  the  Washington  church,  and  some 
out  stations  connected  with  it.  During  the 
last  three  years,  he  preached  part  of  the 
time  to  the  Lamash  church,  and  also  for  a 
time  to  the  Morton  chur,ch.  The  church 
was  afflicted  in  the  loss  of  one  of  its  bright- 
est ornaments,  and  one  of  its  most  active 
members,  in  the  death  of  brother  Rhodes  Yan 
Meter,  In  the  minutes  of  the  Association 
for  1847,  we  find  the  following: 

"  This  Association  express  their  sympa- 
thy and  condolence  with  the  church  at 
Washington,  and  with  the  widow  and  re- 
latives of  our  deceased  brother,  Rhodes  Van 
Meter,  whose  death  has  created  a  chasm 
deeply  felt  and  deplored,  on  account  of  the 
uniform  amibility,  integrity  and  usefulness 
of  our  brother  deceased." 

In  1848,  the  church  reported  seven  bap- 
tisms and  47  members.  In  the  winter  and 
.spring  of  1849-50,  the  church  enjoyed  an 
interesting  revival.  The  pastor  was  as- 
sisted in  a  series  of  meetings  by  elders  E. 
S.  Freeman  and  Gr.  S.  Bailey,  and  at  the 
next  Association  13  baptisms  and  63  mem- 
bers were  reported.  In  the  summer  of 
1850,  a  church  was  organized  at  Spring 
Bay  on  the  Illinois  River,  and  several 
members  of  the  Washington  church  were 


WASHINGTON.  63 

dismissed  to  go  into  this  new  band.  The 
church  at  Spring  Bay  has  since  become  ex- 
tinct. 

In  January,  1851,  elder  Ely,  assisted  by 
G-.  S.  Bailey,  held  a  series  of  meetings  at 
Morton,  where  a  number  of  the  members  of 
the  Washington  church  resided,  and  an  in- 
teresting revival  attended  the  meetings.  In 
1851,  the  Washington  church  reported  13 
baptisms,  most  of  which  occurred  at  Mor- 
ton. Subsequently  the  Morton  church  was 
organized,  and  its  constituent  members  were 
chiefly- from  the  Washington  church. 

Elder  Bly  closed  his  labors  in  1851.  He 
has  since  labored  four  years  in  Berwick, 
Ills.,  and  at  Richland,  Minnesota,  and  is 
now  at  Oquawka,  Ills. 

In  1851,  elder  Jason  Corwin  became  the 
pastor.  He  had  formerly  labored  in  New 
York,  and  also  at  Belleville  and  Blooming- 
ton,  Ills.  He  remained  the  pastor  until 
1854.  The  church  then  numbered  42  mem- 
bers. During  the  following  year  the  church 
was  destitute  of  preaching,  and  several  of 
the  members  removed  to  other  places. 

In  December,  1855,  the  church  made  ar- 
rangement with  the  Metamora  church  for 
their  pastor,  G.  S.  Bailey,  to  preach  in 
Washington  once  in  two  weeks,  which  ar- 
rangement still  continues.  In  1856,  the 
Baptist  church  at  Kappa  was  constituted 


64  CHILICOTHE, 

almost  entirely  from  the  members  of  the 
Washington  church.  Thus  this  church  has 
been  the  parent  of  the  Ptichland,  Metamora, 
Morton,  Spring  Bay  and  Kappa  churches, 
and  has  thus  had  its  members  constantly  re- 
duced by  the  formation  of  these  new  orga- 
vnizations.  Three  of  those  baptized  into  its 
ranks,  and  one  who  was  a  constituent 
member,  have  become  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel, namely,  0.  J.  Sherman,  A.  B.  Cramb, 
0.  L.  Barler,  and  Wm.  C.  Van  Meter. 

Present  number  of  members,  33. 

Pastor,  Gr.  S.  Bailey. 

Deacon,  A.  W.  Van  Meter. 

Clerk,  Wm.  A.  Wells. 


CHILICOTHE. 

In  1837  James  H.  Temple  and  his  bro- 
ther, Dr.  Peter  Temple,  moved  to  Chili- 
cothe  with  their  families.  This  was  a  new 
settlement  upon  the  Illinois  River,  20  miles 
above  Peoria.  The  settlement  continued 
very  small,  so  that  in  1845  the  village  had 
only  about  40  inhabitants.  The  nearest 
Baptist  church  was  at  Peoria. 

In  the  spring  of  1838  a  Baptist  church  was 
constituted  of  the  following  members  :  Dr. 


CHILICOTHE.  65 

Peter  Temple  and  wife,  James  H.  Temple 
and  wife,  and  James  Hammet,  his  wife  and 
his  mother.  Elders  Thomas  Powell,  Thomas 
Brown  and  Gershom  Silliman,  were  present, 
elder  Powell  preached  from  Rom.  14:  1. 
"  Him  that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye, 
but  not  to  doubtful  disputations."  Three 
were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism  dur- 
ing the  summer,  and  others  by  letter,  so 
that  when  the  church  united  with  the  Asso- 
ciation in  September  following  it  had  17 
members. 

Elder  Silliman  preached  occasionally  for 
the  church.  In  1838,  elder  Alexander 
Ridler,  a  Scotch  minister,  commenced 
preaching  to  the  church,  and  continued  his 
labors  with  them  part  of  the  time  till  his 
death  in  1840.  Dr.  Temple  and  family  re- 
turned to  Chicago  in  1838.  The  church 
sent  no  report  to  the  Association  in  1839. 
In  1840,  James  H.  Temple  and  family  re- 
moved to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  to  educate  his 
children.  Elder  Ridler  died,  and  also 
sister  Hannah  Hammett,  and  the  church 
soon  after  became  virtually  extinct.  In  1840 
it  reported  to  the  Association  15  members. 
After  that  we  have  no  report  of  it  until  1848. 
Br.  James  H.  Temple  superintended  a 
Sabbath  School  from  the  spring  of  1838 
until  he  removed  to  St.  Louis.  The 
7 


66  CHILICOTHE. 

school  was  held  first  in  one  house,  and  then 
in  another,  as  a  place  could  be  obtained. 
Br.  Temple  returned  to  Chilicothe  in  1845. 
Meetings  were  held  in  his  house  once  or 
twice  a  month  by  the  Methodists  and  by 
Mr.  Bristol,  a  Congregationalist  minister. 
Mr.  Bristol  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the 
bar-room  of  the  village  tavern. 

In  1845,  the  village  contained  two  stores, 
and  the  Sabbath  was  emphatically  the  bu- 
siness day  of  the  week.  Many  of  the  farm- 
ers and  inhabitants  of  the  country  around, 
made  it  the  day  of  their  trading,  and  it  was 
the  "day  of  sport  with  the  citizens,  who 
passed  it  in  hunting,  racing,  drinking,  etc. 
In  1848,  the  church,  with  seven  members, 
reported  itself  to  the  Association,  and  its 
name  was  again  inserted  in  the  minutes. 
In  1849,  it  was  reported  extinct.  Dur- 
ing the  year  1850,  elder  C.  D.  Merit, 
who  was  preaching  to  the  Steuben  church, 
commenced  preaching  once  in  two  weeks 
at  Chilicothe  in  the  afternoon. 

A  new  organization  of  the  church  took 
place  in  June,  1850.  Elders  G.  Silliman, 
C.  D.  Merit,  Thomas  Bodley  and  O.  J. 
Sherman,  were  present.  Thirteen  members 
constituted  the  new  body.  They  were  from 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  New  York 
and  Illinois.  The  town  then  contained 


CHILICOTHE.  67 

about  200  inhabitants.  The  Methodists  had 
a  class  there,  and  the  Universalists  had 
made  some  effort. 

At  the  Association  in  1851,  the  church 
reported  16  baptisms  and  34  members.  El- 
der Thomas  Bodley,  from  Maryland,  but 
more  recently  from  Michigan,  was  the  first 
pastor.  He  commenced  his  labors  in  June, 

1850,  and  continued  them  about  a  year. 
Elder  C,  D.  Merit  became  pastor  in  July, 

1851,  and  continued  one  year.     During  this 
year  the  church  enjoyed  its  most  extensive 
revival.     Elder  J.  K.  Barry  labored  for 
some  time  there  in  a  series  of  meetings  with 
the  pastor,  and  in  1852,  the  church  repor- 
ted 49  baptisms,  and  92  members. 

In  December,  1852,  elder  Nelson  Alvord 
became  pastor  of  the  church,  and  continued 
his  labors  about  two  years.  In  the  year 
1851  and  1852,  they  erected  a  very  comfor- 
table brick  meeting-house,  35  by  50,  walls 
17  feet  in  the  clear.  Elder  Barry  held  ano- 
ther series  of  meetings  there,  and  in  1854 
they  reported  16  baptisms,  and  98  mem- 
bers. 

Elder  J.  A.  Pool  became  pastor  of  the 
church  in  November,  1854,  and  continued 
until  June,  1855.  A  revival  was  also  en- 
joyed under  the  labors  of  elder  Pool,  and 
14  baptisms  were  reported  in  1855. 


68  CHILICOTHE. 

Elder. Wm.  M.  Haigh,  from  England,  but 
lately  from  Pavilion,  Kendall  county,  Illi- 
nois, became  pastor  of  the  church  in  Novem- 
ber, 1855,  and  still  remains  in  that  relation. 
The  present  population  of  the  town  is 
about  800,  and  its  moral  aspect  is  as  much 
improved  since  1845  as  its  population. 

Elder  Gershom  Silliman,  who  for  many 
years  was  connected  with  this  church,  died 
near  Chilicothe,  December  2,  1856,  in  the 
74th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  born  in  Wes- 
ton,  Fairfield  county,  Connecticut,  May  24, 
1783.  He  was  baptized  at  Middletown, 
Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  by  elder  Wm. 
Warren.  He  served  in  the  war  of  1812  as 
a  Lieutenant  at  Brooklyn.  In  1815,  he  re- 
moved to  Jackson  county,  Ohio,  and  in  1818 
was  ordained  at  Waverley,  Pike  Co.,  Ohio, 
where  he  continued  to  preach  until  he  re- 
moved to  Illinois.  He  settled  six  miles 
west  of  Chilicothe.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Illinois  River  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation, and  has  preached  to  several  churches 
in  the  Association.  He  was  eminently  a 
good  man,  and  died  universally  respected 
and  beloved. 

The  church  was  aided  for  two  years, 
1852  and  1853,  by  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society  in  sustaining  its  pas- 
tor. Since  that  time  they  have  needed  no 


CHILICOTHE.  69 

aid.  The  church  at  Chilicothe  has  strug- 
gled through  many  serious  trials,  but  since 
its  re-organization  in  1850,  its  course  has 
been  onward,  and  the  blessing  of  the  Lord 
has  attended  it. 

Present  number  of  members  102. 

Pastor,  Win.  M.  Haigh. 

Deacons,  Simon  Reed,  James  H.  Temple, 
and  0.  W.  Young. 

Clerk,  M.  Scholes. 


70  LAMARSH. 


LAMARSH. 

This  church  is  in  the  township  of  Hollis, 
Peoria  county.  It  was  organized  October 
27,  1838,  with  14  members,  who  had  come 
from  Guernsey  county,  Ohio.  Elders  A. 
M.  Gardner,  Thomas  Brown,  Thomas  Pow- 
ell, and  G.  Silliman  were  present  at  its  con- 
stitution. The  settlement  in  which  this 
church  was  formed,  contained  a  population 
of  about  100.  It  now  contains  about  700. 
The  nearest  Baptist  church  was  at  Peoria, 
12  miles  distant.  This  little  church  was  at 
first  surrounded  by  Methodist  influence,  but 
now  it  occupies  almost  the  entire  ground, 
and  other  denominational  influences  are  very 
feeble  in  that  community.  Elder  A.  M. 
Gardner  served  as  pastor  of  this  church 
from  its  organization  until  August,  1848,  a 
period  of  nearly  ten  years.  The  church 
continued  quite  small  for  several  years,  ne- 
ver reporting  more  than  22  members,  until 
1847,  when  it  reported  six  baptisms,  and  30 
members. 

In  January,  1849,  elder  Wm.  T:  Bly  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church,  residing  at 
Washington,  in  Tazewell  county,  and 
preaching  at  Lamarsh  half  the  time.  In  the 
spring  of  1849,  the  church  was  blest  with 
a  gracious  visitation  of  God,  and  ele- 


LAMARSH.  71 

ven  were  baptized,  as  the  fruit  of  the  revi- 
val, and  the  church  this  year  reported  42 
members. 

The  Association  held  its  session  with  this 
church  in  June,  1849.  The  meetings  were 
held  in  a  barn  for  the  want  of  a  house  of 
.worship.  After  the  Association  adjourned, 
some  of  the  ministers,  among  whom  were 
elders  H.  G.  Weston  and  S.  G.  Miner,  re- 
mained and  continued  a  series  of  meetings 
for  some  days.  These  meetings  was  atten- 
ded with  rich  blessings.  A  glorious  revi- 
val commenced,  which  extended  through  the 
year,  and  in  1850  the  church  reported  58 
baptisms,  and  102  members.  The  follow- 
ing year  12  baptisms  were  reported,  and 
110  members.  Elder  Ely  closed  his  labors 
as  pastor  in  June,  1851. 

In  July,  1851,  elder  Joel  Sweet,  who  was 
also  preaching  at  Trivoli  part  of  the  time, 
became  pastor  of  this  church,  preach- 
ing at  Lamarsh  half  the  time,  though 
he  still  continued  to  reside  near  Trivoli, 
some  twelve  miles  distant.  The  gracious 
influences  of  the  Spirit  were  again  enjoyed 
in  January,  1852,  and  21  baptisms,  and  125 
member s  were  reported  at  the  next  Associa- 
tion. The  church  also  enjoyed  another  re- 
vival in  January,  1854,  and  in  June  follow- 
ing, reported  40  baptisms,  and  155  mem- 


72  GALESBURG. 

bers.  Elder  Sweet  closed  his  labors  as  pas- 
tor in  July,  1855.  In  February,  1853,  Jo- 
seph C.  Maple,  one  of  its  members,  was 
licensed  by  the  church  to  preach  the  gospel, 
and  is  now  pursuing  his  studies  at  Shurtleff 
College,  and  preaching  part  of  the  time. 

Immediately  after  the  meeting  of  the  As- 
sociation with  them  in  1849,  the  church 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  house  of  wor- 
ship 30  by  45  feet.  It  cost  about  $1000. 

Elder  John  Edminster,  the  present  pastor, 
commenced  preaching  to  this  church  in  June 
1855.  He  is  also  pastor  of  the  Adams 
street  church  in  Peoria,  where  he  resides. 

Present  number  of  members  137. 

Pastor,  John  Edminster. 

Deacons,  John  Maple,  and  G.  R.  Black. 

Clerk,  John  Maple. 


GALESBURG. 

Galesburg  is  located  in  Ivnox  county, 
six  miles  from  Knoxville  the  county  seat. 
Knox  college,  and  several  other  literary 
institutions  are  located  there,  and  t}iese  ad- 
vantages, together  with  its  rail  road  facili- 
ties, have  given  the  place  a  very  rapid 
growth.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  the 


GALESBURG.  73 

materials  for  preparing  a  minute  and  accu- 
rate historical  sketch  of  the  Baptist  church 
there,  have  not  come  to  hand.  In  the  ab- 
sence of  those  materials,  the  present  sketch 
is  made  up  chiefly  from  the  Associational 
Minutes,  and  is  consequently  indefinite  in 
some  important  particulars. 

The  Galesburg  Baptist  church  was  foi- 
merly  known  as  the  KNOXVILLE  church,  and 
held  its  meetings  at  Knoxville,  until  1848. 
It  was  received  into  the  Illinois  River  As- 
sociation in  1839,  with  42  members.  Elder 
Gardner  Bartlett  was  then  the  pastor.  His 
name  was  reported  in  connection  with  this 
church,  for  the  next  five  years,  and  also  in 
1847  and  1848,  though  not  all  the  time  as 
its  pastor. 

Large  accessions  were  made  to  the  church 
by  letter,  and  in  1840  it  contained  63  mem- 
bers. In  1841  elder  J.  Hovey  was  its  pas- 
tor. It  reported  that  year,  20  additions  by 
letter,  and  a  total  membership  of  80.  In 
1842  it  reported  8  baptisms  and  83 
members.  In  1843  it  was  destitute  of  a 
pastor,  but  reported  3  baptisms  and  61 
members.  The  Association  met  with  the 
church  at  Knoxville  that  year.  During 
the  following  year  the  church  lost  a  number 
of  its  members,  by  removals  and  by  death, 


74  GALESBURG. 

In  1844,  elder  S.  S.  Martin  was  its  pastor. 
The  church  then  reported  54  members.  He 
was  also  the  pastor  in  1845.  Dismissals 
and  deaths  continued  to  diminish  the  num- 
ber of  members,  and  that  year  it  reported 
51  members. 

In  1846,  elder  J.  0.  Metcalf  was  its  pas- 
tor, and  the  church  then  reported  47  mem- 
bers. In  1847  it  was  destitute  of  a  pastor, 
and  reported  40  members. 

In  1848  it  had  removed  its  place  of  meet- 
ing, and  changed  its  name  to  Galesburg. 
Elder  J.  M.  Stickney  is  reported  as  its  pas- 
tor, and  it  numbered  48  members.  The 
church  then  had  preaching  one  fourth  of 
the  time.  Great  inconvenience  was  suifered 
for  the  want  of  a  suitable  place  to  hold  its 
meetings,  at  Galesburg.  In  1849,  J  M. 
Stickney  was  the  pastor,  and  the  church 
reported  4  baptisms  and  54  members.  The 
church  met  with  much  opposition,  but  dur- 
ing this  year  a  lot  was  secured  for  a  house 
,of  worship,  and  the  building  commenced. 
Elder  Stickney  preached  there  one  fourth 
of  tire  time. 

In  1850,  elder  A.  Gross  was  the  pastor, 
also  in  the  year  following.  The  church  in 
1850  reported  2 baptisms  and  75  members; 
and  in  1851,  5  baptisms  and  82  members, 
In  1852  their  house  of  worship  was  com- 


GALESBURG.  75 

pleted,  and  the  Association  met  with  the 
church.  Elder  J.  K.  Barry  had  commenced 
a  series  of  meetings  with  the  church,  just 
previous  to  the  meeting  of  the  Association, 
and  52  baptisms  and  133  members  were 
reported.  The  revival  continued,  and  in 
1853,  58  baptisms  and  175  members  were 
reported. 

Elder  R.  Newton  was  the  pastor  in  1853. 
Two  of  those  baptized  during  the  revival 
have  entered  the  ministry.  One  of  them, 
elder  I.  S.  Mahan  is  now  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Lacon,  111. ;  the  other,  elder 
Palmquist,  has  been  a  successful  laborer 
among  the  Swedes. 

In  1854  the  church  enjoyed  a  revival, 
and  though  it  had  trials  and  was  destitute 
of  a  pastor,  10  baptisms  and  172  members 
were  reported.  In  1855  the  church  was 
still  destitute  of  a  pastor,  and  had  suffered 
from  internal  dissensions.  It  reported  10 
baptisms  and  169  members.  Elder  Silas 
Tucker  had  accepted  a  call  from  the  church, 
but  had  not  commenced  his  labors  when 
the  Association  met. 

Elder  David  James,  a  member  of  this 
church,  died  at  Galesburg,  April  19,  1856. 
He  was  born  in  Wales,  May  5,  1787.  He 
came  to  America  in  1820,  and  has  labored 
in  the  ministry  at  Great  Falls,  N.  H., 


78 

Kennebeck,  Me.,  Greenport,  L.  I.,  New- 
berg,  N.  Y.,  Cape  May,  N.  J.,  and  Osceola 
and  Henderson,  Ills.  His  labors  have  been 
very  extensive  and  highly  useful.  He  was 
a  man  of  gentle  spirit,  of  deep  and  ardent 
piety,  and  of  unfaltering  confidence  in  God, 

In  1856,  elder  Silas  Tucker  was  the  pas- 
tor, and  still  continues  in  that  relation. 
The  church  reported  17  baptisms. 

Present  number  of  members,  189- 

Pastor,  Silas  Tucker. 

Clerk,  J.  S.  McCool. 


THIVOLI. 

This  church  is  in  the  west  part  of  Peoria 
county.  It  was  organized  March  2,  1839, 
with  11  members,  one  from  Maine,  the 
others  from  New  York.  Elders  Thomas 
Brown,  Gardner  Bartlett,  Nathan  West  and 
A.  M,  Gardner,  were  present.  The  nearest 
Baptist  church  was  at  Canton,  some  fifteen 
miles  distant.  The  denominational  influ- 
ences in  the  community  were  chiefly  Metho- 
dist and  Universalist.  Elder  Nathan  West 
preached  to  the  church  half  the  time  for  one 
year.  In  1839  and  1840  the  church  reported 
fourteen  members. 


TRIVOLI.  79 

In  1840,  elder  Orrin  Witherell  became 
pastor  of  the  church.  In  June,  1841,  the 
church  reported  16  baptisms  and  31  mem- 
bers. Elder  Witherell  continued  the  pas- 
tor for  a  year  and  a  half  or  two  years,  when 
he  removed  to  Rochester,  Peoria  Co.,  and 
subsequently  to  Wethersfield,  where  he 
died.  Additional  facts  in  reference  to  his 
life  and  labors  will  be  found  in  the  history 
of  the  Anawan  church. 

In  August,  1842,  elder  A.  M.  Gardner 
commenced  preaching  to  the  church  half 
the  time.  About  this  time  a  number  of  mem- 
bers residing  at  Kickapoo  united  with  this 
church,  and  for  a  time  the  meetings  were 
held  alternately  at  Trivoli  and  Kickapoo. 
In  1843  they  reported  3  baptisms  and  38 
members,  but  in  1845  the  number  was  re- 
duced to  27.  Elder  Gardner  continued  his 
labors  until  1845.  For  the  two  succeeding 
years  an  esteemed  brother  in  the  church 
preached  to  them  occasionally,  and  the  co- 
venant meetings  were  generally  sustained. 
But  the  church  did  not  report  itself  to  the 
Association  from  1845  until  1850. 

In  1847,  elder  Erastus  Miner  commenced 
preaching  to  the  church.  Soon  after  he 
commenced  his  labors,  several  members  re- 
siding in  Farmington,  six  miles  west,  united 
with  the  church,  and  the  meetings  were 
8 


80  TEIVOLI. 

held  most  of  the  time  afterwards  at  Farm- 
ington.  In  1849,  the  Farmington  church 
was  received  into  the  Association,  and  the 
Trivoli  church  is  mentioned  in  the  minutes, 
as  merged  in  the  Farmington  church.  Elder 
Miner  closed  his  labors,  as  pastor,  in  the 
fall  of  1849. 

They  were  destitute  of  preaching  until 
the  spring  of  1850,  when  elder  Joel  Sweet 
became  the  pastor  at  Trivoli.  There  being 
some  dissatisfaction  with  the  articles  of 
faith,  it  was  thought  best  to  reorganize  the 
church.  Consequently  a  new  organization 
took  place  May  11;  1850,  elder  S.  G.  Miner 
and  brother  Cutler  of  Canton,  being  pre- 
sent. The  church  was  again  received  into 
the  Association  in  June  following,  and  re- 
ported 4  baptisms  and  27  members.  The 
Farmington  church  never  reported  itself  to 
the  Association  after  1849,  and  became  ex- 
tinct. A  new  church  has  since  taken  its 
place . 

In  1852,  the  Trivoli  church  reported  37 
members.  In  April,  1853,  elder  Sweet 
closed  his  labors  with  the  Trivoli  church, 
and  became  pastor  of  the  Lamarsh  church, 
but  continued  to  reside  near  Trivoli.  In 
October,  1854,  he  resumed  his  labors  at 
Trivoli,  and  is  the  present  pastor  of  that 
church.  Elder  Sweet  has  labored  in  Illi- 


LAFAYETTE.  81 

nois  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  centrry, 
and  few  men  in  the  State  have  done  more 
than  he  in  the  establishment  of  new 
churches,  laboring  in  revivals  of  religion, 
s,r.d  in  pioneer'  work  in  general.  The 
church  in  Trivoli  have  a  small  house  of 
worship,  built  in  1854. 

Present  number  of  members,  40. 

Pastor,  Joel  Sweet. 

Deacons,  Wm.  Sutton  and  John  Magee.. 

Clerk,  A.  Nash. 


LAFAYETTE. 

This  church  is  in  Stark  county,  it  was  or- 
iginally called  FAHRENHEIT  church,  and  for 
many  years  appears  on  the  minutes  of  the 
Association  under  that  name.  It  was  organ- 
ized June  15th,  1839,  at  the  house  of  elder 
Jonathan  Miner,  about  three  miles  east  of 
Lafayette,  Stark  county,  then  Knox  county. 
It  was  constituted  with  eleven  members, 
who  had  settled  in  that  vicinity  from  Conn., 
Pa.,  Va.,  Ohio,  and  Canada.  Elders  Miner 
and  Edward  Otis  officiated  at  the  recogni- 
tion, and  after  the  recognition  they  repair- 
ed to  Indian  Creek  and  administered  the  or- 
dinance of  baptism.  This  was  probably  the 


82  LAFAYETTE. 

first  time  the  ordinance  was  ever  adminis- 
tered in  that  stream. 

There  was  then  no  other  Baptist  church 
within  35  mites,  and  the  members  of  this 
church  were  scattered  over  a  district  of 
country  thirty  miles  in  diameter.  The  pop- 
ulation was  then  very  sparse.  Elder  Miner, 
the  pastor,  preached  in  seven  different 
places  where  little  congregations  could  be 
gathered,  one  fourth  of  the  time  in  his  own 
house. 

Elder  Jonathan  Miner  was  born  in  Ston- 
ington,  Connecticut,  Nov.  9,  1776.  He 
was  ordained  in  Groton,  Conn.,  in  1813, 
and  commenced  his  pastoral  labors  in  the 
First  Baptist  church  North  Stonington, 
where  he  labored  20  years.  He  subsequent- 
ly labored  at  Chesterfield  and  Bozrah  in 
Conn.,  whence  he  removed  to  Illinois  in 
1837.  He  immediately  commenced  preach- 
ing to  the  people  in  his  new  home,  and  con- 
tinued to  labor  in  the  ministry  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  Aug.  26,  1844.  Af- 
fectionate mention  is  made  of  him  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Association  for  1845.  His 
labors  in  Connecticut  were  remarkably  blest 
to  the  conversion  of  souls,  and  in  healing  di- 
visions in  Zion  by  his  wise  counsels.  While 
there,  seasons  of  special  revival  frequently 
occurred  under  his  ministry.  In  Illinois  he 
labored  as  a  pioneer  in  gathering  up  new 


LAFAYETTE  83 

churches,  and  visiting  destitute  fields.  He 
did  not  require  nor  receive  much  pecuniary 
aid  from  the  churches.  He  said,  "  I  want  to 
hear  the  prayers  and  exhortations  of  my 
brethren  ;  this  will  be  my  pay."  He  had  ap- 
pointments for  preaching  in  many  places. 
His  standing  appointments  were  sometimes 
intruded  upon  by  the  Methodists  in  the 
school  houses  where  he  preached,  by  their 
commencing  a  meeting  half  an  hour  before 
his,  on  the  same  day  and  in  the  same  place. 

Elder  Otis  Was  a  member  of  this  church 
and-  preached  much  within  its  bounds.  He 
made  yearly  visits  t9  Ohio,  his  former  field 
of  labor  as  a  pioneer  missionary.  These 
journeys  he  made  on  horseback,  his  favorite 
mode  of  traveling.**  He  was  a  pensioner, 
having  served  in  the  revolutionary  war. 
A  fuller  account  of  him  is  given  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Anawan  church. 

In  1843  several  members  were  dismissed 
from  this  church  to  form  the  Wethersfield, 
now  the  Anawan  church.  After  the  death 
of  elder  Miner  in  1844  the  church  was  sup- 
plied for  a  time  by  elder  Elisha  Gill.  In 
the  spring  of  1846  elder  Charles  E.  Tinker 
became  its  pastor  and  labored  one  fourth  of 
the  time  for  one  year.  Elder  Gill  again  be- 
came pastor  for  a  season  and  was  succeeded 
by  elder  J.  M.  Stickney,  who  had  come 
S* 


84  LAFAYETTE. 

from  Wisconsin,  and  originally  from  N.  Y. 
He  continued  his  labors  until  April  16, 
1818,  when  he  was  dismissed,  with  eight 
others,  including  elder  Gill,  to  go  into  a 
new  organization  at  Toulon.  After  dis- 
missing so  many  members  to  form  new 
churches,  this  church  had  21  members. 
These  was  much  scattered. 

The  settlements  in  the  surrounding  coun- 
try now  rapidly  increased.  A  new  county 
(Stark)  was  formed  and  the  county  seat, 
Toulon,  was  located  two  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  their  place  of  meeting.  The  village  of 
Lafayette  was  growing  up  three  miles  west 
of  them,  and  that  was  the  most  central  place 
for  them  to  meet.  Accordingly,  Sept.  23, 
1848,  the  church  unanimously  voted  to  re- 
move their  place  of  meeting  and  change 
their  name  from  Fahrenheit  to  Lafayette. 

The  church  was  destitute  of  a  pastor 
until  May,  1849,  when  elder  Tinker  again 
became  the  pastor,  receiving  a  part  of  his 
support  from  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society.  They  had  no  meeting- 
house, and  the  village  school-house  was 
already  occupied  by  standing  appointments, 
so  that  they  were  obliged  to  hold  their 
meeting  in  a  private  dwelling,  or  in  plea- 
sant weather  in  the  shaded  door-yard,  for 
the  house  would  not  hold  the  congrega- 
tions. 


LAFAYETTE.  85 

March  17,  1850,  they  occupied  for  the 
first  time,  the  house  of  worship  in  which 
they  still  meet,  and  which  was  built  ex- 
pressly for  their  occupancy  by  one  of  the 
sisters  of  the  church.  Elder  Tinker  preach- 
ed to  them  a  fourth  of  the  time  for  one 
year. 

In  July,  1850,  the  church  invited  elder 
Alba  Gross,  then  agent  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  to  become  their 
pastor.  He  accepted  the  invitation  and 
preached  for  them  a  fourth  of  the  time, 
until  August,  1852.  In  December,  1851, 
he  was  assisted  in  a  series  of  meetings  by 
elder  J.  K.  Barry.  Twelve  were  baptized 
as  the  result  of  the  meetings. 

From  August,  1852,  the  church  was  des- 
titute of  pastoral  labor  until  March,  1853, 
when  elder  J.  W.  Dennison,  the  pastor  at 
Brimfield,  commenced  preaching  for  them 
one-fourth  of  the  time,  which  he  continued 
to  do  for  six  months.  The  church  was 
again  destitute,  but  held  regular  meetings 
on  alternate  Sabbaths.  In  September,  1854, 
elder  M.  H.  Negus  became  pastor  of  this 
church,  and  still  continues  in  that  relation. 
Under  his  labors  a  new  church  has  been 
organized  at  Galva,  Henry  county. 

Elder  Negus  was  born  in  Fabius,  New 
York,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the 


86  ANAWAN. 

church  in  his  native  town.  He  was  ordained 
at  Northampton,  N.  Y.,  and  has  labored  as 
pastor  at  Providence,  Saratoga  county, 
N.  Y.,  also  in  Hamilton  and  Oneida  coun- 
ties in  N.  Y.  He  removed  to  Wisconsin  in 
1851,  and  subsequently  to  Illinois. 

Present  number  of  members,  60. 

Pastor,  M.  H.  Negus. 

Deacon,  J.  Ives. 

Clerk,  I.  F.  Thompson. 


ANAWAN. 

This  church  was  organized  at  Wethersfield, 
Henry  county,  Sept.  23,  1843,  and  was  for- 
merly called  the  WETHERSFIELD  church.  The 
council  consisted  of  elders  Jonathan  Miner 
and  Elisha  Gill,  and  brother  Wm.  Miner. 
Five  brethren  and  three  sisters  composed 
this  new  church.  They  were  elder  Edward 
Otis,  Charles  B.  Miner,  and  Mary  G. 
Miner,  from  Connecticut,  and  Edward  Otis, 
Merril  Otis,  Hileman  Otis,  Hannah  Otis 
and  Sarah  Otis,  from  Ohio. 

Elder  Edward  Otis  was  born  in  Lyme, 
Connecticut,  in  1776.  He  removed  to  Ohio, 
and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1794,  was  or- 
dained in  1816,  and  continued  an  accepta- 


ANAWAN.  87 

ble  minister  and  missionary  the  rest  of  his 
life.  He  died  in  Indiana  in  June,  1852. 

The  nearest  Baptist  church  to  Wethers- 
field  was  at  Lafayette,  nine  miles  distant, 
and  the  next  nearest  were  at  Princeton  and 
Oxford,  each  thirty  miles  distant.  The 
little  church,  in  its  early  days,  was  sur- 
rounded by  a  strong  anti-mission  influence. 
A  strong  Congregational  colony,  organized 
in  Connecticut,  settled  in  Wethersfield 
with  their  pastor.  For  about  two  years  the 
Baptist  church  had  no  regular  pastor,  but 
had  occasional  preaching  by  elders  Edward 
Otis,  B.  Gill,  Jonathan  Miner  and  0. 
Witherell. 

Elder  Orrin  Witherell  was  born  in  the 
town  of  Heath,  Vt.,  Jan.  17,  1809.  He 
was  licensed  in  Hartford,  Washington  Co., 
N.  Y.,  where  his  father,  elder  Geo.  With- 
erell, was  pastor.  He  was  ordained  July 
9,  1845,  at  Gorham,  Ontario  Co.,  N.  Y., 
and  subsequently  preached  to  that  church  ; 
thence  he  removed  to  Indiana,  and  thence 
to  Farmington  and  Trivoli,  Illinois.  He 
was  pastor  at  Trivoli  in  1840  and  1841. 
He  afterwards  preached  at  Rochester,  in  Pe- 
oria  Co.,  about  a  year  and  a  half,  and  then 
removed  to  Wethersfield  and  preached  at 
that  place  part  of  the  time.  He  died  at 
Wethersfield  Jan.  13,  1845. 


88  ANAWAN. 

During  the  summer  of  1845,  elder  Charles 
E.  Tinker  preadhed  occasionally  to  the 
church,  and  in  November  following  he  com- 
menced preaching  to  the  church  one  Sab- 
bath in  each  month,  and  continued  thus  to 
labor  for  over  five  years,  holding  meetings 
successively  at  Wethersfield,  and  at  West 
End,  and  North  Side  of  Barren  Grove  ;  the 
last  two  localities  being  about  seven  miles 
from  Wethersfield,  one  North,  and  the  other 
West.  During  the  last  two  years  of  elder 
Tinker's  labors,  the  meetings  were  held  only 
at  the  North  Side  and  West  End  of  Barren 
Grove  ;  but  the  church  still  retained  the 
name  of  Wethersfield. 

In  March,  1847,  the  pastor  held  a  series  of 
meetings  at  the  West  End  of  Barren  Grove, 
which  resulted  in  an  addition  of  10  mem- 
bers to  the  church.  In  June,  the  church 
united  with  the  Illinois  River  Association, 
with  16  members.  The  pastor  held  a  series 
of  meetings  on  North  Side  of  Barren  Grove 
in  March,  1848,  and  8  baptisms  were  repor- 
ted to  the  Association  in  June,  and  5  more 
the  June  following.  In  December,  1850,  a 
series  of  meetings  was  commenced  by  the 
pastor,  assisted  by  elder  Wm.  McDerrnand, 
from  Canada  West,  and  elder  Wm.  Willis, 
of  Rockford,  Illinois,  which  resulted  in 
much  good.  Sixteen  were  baptized.  El- 


AN  AW  AN.  89 

der  Tinker  closed  his  labors  as  pastor  of 
the  church  in  January,  1851.  He  was  born 
in  Connecticut  in  1803,  removed  to  Illinois 
in  1839,  and  was  ordained  in  1844.  He 
had,  previous  to  his  labors  in  Wcthersfield, 
labored  in  Knox,  Warren,  Fulton,  and  Mer- 
cer counties.  He  has  since  labored  chiefly 
in  Henry  county. 

In  January,  1851,  elder  McDermand  be- 
came its,  pastor,  laboring  with  the  church  at 
first  three-fourths  of  the  time,  and  subse- 
quently one  half  the  time.  In  the  spring 
of  1851,  the  members  living  in  and  near 
Wethersfield,  wished  the  church  to  fall  back 
to  Wethersfield,  its  original  home,  but  the 
other  members,  objected  to  it,  and  a  new 
church  was  organized  at  Wethersfield,  in 
May,  1851.  In  January,  1853,  the  church 
was  favored  with  its  most  extensive  revival . 
Elder  McDermand,  assisted  by  elder  R. 
Turner;  held  a  series  of  meetings,  and  on 
the  29th  of  that  month,  16  were  received  by 
letter,  and  16  were  baptized  the  day  follow- 
ing. On  the  next  Sabbath  12  more  were 
baptized.  Those  were  days  of  great  joy 
and  encouragement  to  the  church.  Their 
covenant  meetings  were  deeply  interesting, 
and  sometimes  attended  by  about  70  per- 
sons, and  their  communion  seasons  by  near- 
ly all  the  members . 


90  ANAWAN. 

In  1853  the  church  reported  33  bap- 
tisms and  100  members .  In  the  winter  of 
1853  another  series  of  meetings  was  held, 
conducted  by  elders  McDermand,  Tinker, 
and  Turner,  and  another  revival  was  en- 
joyed. In  1854  they  reported  17  baptisms 
and  120  members.  Elder  McDermand  clo- 
sed his  labors  with  the  church  in  October, 
1854,  and  returned  to  Canada  West. 

In  March,  1854,  the  name  of  the  church 
was  changed  from  Wethersfield  to  Anawan, 
the  name  of  a  station  and  village  on  the 
Chicago  and  Rock  Island  railroad.  In 
February,  1855,  elder  R.  Turner  became 
pastor  of  the  church,  preaching  at  three  dif- 
ferent stations.  Elder  Turner  has  recently 
resigned. 

Present  number  of  members  111. 

Deacons,  John  Troyer,  Collins  M.  Hay- 
den,  Merril  Otis,  and  Stephen  Palmer. 

Clerk,  James  Carroll. 


HENDERSON. 


HENDERSON. 

*      0 

This  village  is  located  in  Knox  county, 
and  contains  a  population  of«200  or  300. 
It  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlements  in 
that  region  of  country.  The  Baptist  church 
was  organized  there,  March  9,  1844.  El- 
ders Gardner  Bartlett-  S.  S.  Martin  and 
C.  Button,  a  licentiate,  were  present  at  its 
organization.  It  was  received  into  the  As- 
sociation in  1844,  with  13  members.  Broth- 
er C .  Button  preached  for  the  church  a  few 
months.  The  church  remained  small,  and 
made  no  report  to  the  Association,  from 
1845  to  1851,  except  to  send  a  letter  in 
1848  and  1850. 

In  1851,  elder  A.  Gross  was  preaching 
for  them,  part  of  the  time,  and  they  reported 
2  baptisms  and  27  members.  In  1854,  10 
baptisms  were  reported,  and  in  1855,'  6 
more.  Elder  D.  E.  Bowen,  the  missionary 
of  the  Association,  labored  with  them  for  a 
time,  in  1854  and  1855.  They  have  also 
had  preaching  occasionally  by  others.  The 
church  is  destitute  of  a  pastor. 

Present  number  of  members,  22. 

Deacon, Gardner. 

Clerk,  N.  Breezee. 
9 


92  HIGHLAND. 


EICHLAND. 

This  church  is  located  in  Woodford 
county,  five  miles  north  of  Metamora.  It 
was  constituted  in  the  house  of  Mrs.  Esther 
Mundell,  Sept.  27,  1844,  with  13  members. 
Three  or  four  of  these  were  from  Pa.,  one 
from  Va.,  five  from  Vt.,  and  three  from  N. 
Y.  Elders  H.  G-.  Weston  and  Thomas 
Powell,  and  delegates  from  several  churches 
were  present  at  its  organization. 

Elder  Thomas  Brown,  of  Tremont,  had 
preached  in  the  settlement  once  a  month 
for  some  time,  and  elders  Thomas  Powell 
and  Isaac  Merriam  had  preached  there  oc- 
casionally. Elder  Weston,  while  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Washington,  Tazewell  county, 
frequently  visited  this  settlement,  and  gath- 
ered this  church  together,  and  became  its 
first  pastor,  preaching  there  a  portion  of  his 
time.  Jesse  Hammers  was  its  first  deacon, 
and  Tilton  Howard  its  first  clerk.  During 
the  following  winter,  an  effort  was  made 
towards  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship. 
Deacon  Bacheller,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  an  uncle 
of  the  pastor,  assisted  them.  The  house 
was  put  under  contract  in  May,  1845.  In 
June,  the  church  reported  3  baptisms  and 
17  members. 


HIGHLAND.  93 

In  1846,  elder  Weston  removed  to  Peoria, 
and  the  Richland  church  remained  destitute 
of  preaching,  except  occasionally,  until  the 
fall  of  1847,  when  elder  W.  Pigsley  com- 
menced preaching  to  the  church,  and  sub- 
sequently became  its  pastor.  In  1847  they 
reported  22  members,  and  the  same  number 
also  the  two  following  years. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1849,  a  council 
convened  with  this  church,  and  ordained 
one  of  its  members,  Augustus  B.  Cramb,  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  Immediately 
after  the  services  of  ordination  elder  Cramb 
baptized  his  wife,  who  had  previously  been 
a  member  of  the  Congregational  church. 
After  the  ordination,  elder  T.  Powell  re- 
mained with  the  church  for  some  days,  hold- 
ing a  series  of  meetings,  which  were  a 
great  blessing  to  the  community.,  Twelve 
were  baptized  before  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ings, and  several  others  after. 

In  December,  1849,  elder  E.  S.  Freeman 
from  Michigan,  commenced  preaching  to 
this  church.  A  special  religious  interest 
had  been  manifested  under  the  labors  of 
elder  Pigsley,  on  the  Bottom,  near  the 
Illinois  River,  a  few  miles  west  of  the  meet- 
ing house.  During  the  winter,  elder  Free- 
man commenced  preaching  there,  and  an 
interestino;  revival  followed.  Ten  were 


94  HIGHLAND. 

baptized  during  the  series  of  meetings,  and 
others  afterward.  In  April,  1850,  elder 
Freeman  and  several  others,  were  dismissed 
to  form  a  church,  at  Spring  Bay.  Elder 
Freeman,  however,  continued  to  preach  to 
the  Richland  church.  In  June,  1850,  the 
church  reported  33  baptisms  and  61  mem- 
bers. 

In  Dec.,  1850,  elder  Cramb  was  dismiss- 
ed to  go  into  the  new  church  about  to  be 
formed  at  Metamora.  Their  meeting-house 
was  completed  except  the  painting  in  the 
spring  of  1851.  It  is  26  by  36  feet,  and 
cost  about  $900. 

In  June,  1851,  a  council  met  with  the 
church  for  the  ordination  of  John  M.  Scro- 
gin  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  soon 
after  became  pastor  of  the  church  at  Dele- 
van.  The  Richland  church  this  year  re- 
ported 8  baptisms  and  84  members.  In 
October,  1851,  this  church  dismissed  29 
members  residing  on  Half  Moon  Prairie,  six 
miles  north,  to  form  a  new  church.  In 
December  another  colony  of  nine  members 
was  dismissed  to  form  the  Richland  Valley 
church.  During  the  same  month  elder 
Cramb  commenced  preaching  again  for  the 
church  part  of  the  time. 

The  members  of  this  church  were  greatly 
diminished  by  sending  out  so  many  colonies 


HIGHLAND.  95 

to  form  new  churches.  Several  of  these 
colonies  have  since  become  large  and  flour- 
ishing bodies.  In  1852,  Richland  reported 
3  baptism  and  48  members.  Elder  J.  M. 
Stickney  preached  part  of  the  time  for  this 
church,  on  account  of  the  sickness  of  elder 
Cramb.  In  1853,  the  church  reported  but 
23  members.  In  February,  1-854,  elder  C. 
D.  Merit  became  pastor  of  this  church,  in 
connection  with  the  Metamora  and  Half 
Moon  Prairie  churches.  He  is  still  its  pas- 
tor, preaching  there  every  other  Sabbath. 
In  June  following  the  church  reported  6  bap- 
tisms, and  33  members,  and  in  1855  they 
reported  7  baptisms  and  44  members. 

In  March,  1856,  the  pastor  commenced  a 
series  of  meetings  there,  assisted  part  of  the 
time  by  G.  S.  Bailey,  which  resulted  in  a 
precious  revival,  and  22  were  baptized. 

Present  number  of  members,  63. 

Pastor,  C.  D.  Merit. 

Deacon,  Jesse  Hammers. 

Clerk,  Emerald  A.  Fisher. 


96  DELEVAN. 

DELEYAN. 

This  church  is  situated  in  a  beautiful 
prairie  village  in  the  south  part  of  Taze- 
well  county.  The  settlement  of  Delevan 
was  formed  by  a  colony  from  Rhode  Island, 
among  whom  were  several  Baptists.  The 
nearest  Baptist  church  to  them  on  the  north 
was  at  Tremont,  twelve  miles  distant,  and 
the  nearest  on  the  south  was  at  Springfield, 
over  forty  miles  distant.  In  the  fall  of  1846, 
they  determined  to  set  up  their  banner  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  as  there  was  scarcely 
any  meetings  held  in  the  community,  and 
the  population  of  the  settlement  then  num- 
bered about  200. 

The  church  was  organized  December  17, 
1846.  Elders  Isaac  Merriam  from  Tre- 
mont and  G.  S.  Bailey  from  Springfield, 
were  present.  The  following  persons  were 
the  constitutent  members:  Henry R.  Greene, 
Jonas  R.  Gale,  Joseph  Grant,  John  Daniels, 
Mrs.  A.  Greene,  Mrs.  Cynthia  M.  Gale, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Grant,  Mrs.  Eunice  Hall,  and 
Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Philips.  Eight  of  them 
were  from  Rhode  Island,  and  one  from 
England.  During  the  first  year  and  a  half 
they  enjoyed  occasional  preaching  by  one 
of  their  members,  Henry  R.  Greene,  an 
aged  and  intelligent  man,  who  had  long 
served  as  a  deacon  in  the  Pine  street  church 


DELEVAN.  97 

in  Providence,  R.  I.,  and  had  been  licensed 
to  preach  by  that  church.  He  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  convention  which  formed 
the  new  constitution  of  Illinois  in  1847,  and 
was  an  active  and  prominent  member  of 
that  body.  He  returned  to  Providence  a  few 
years  after,  and  died  there  in  1854. 

Nelson  Alvord,  a  licentiate,  commenced 
his  labors  as  pastor  of  the  church  June  3, 
1848.  He  was  ordained  at  Delevau,  July 
12,  1848,  and  continued  as  pastor  of  the 
church  until  March  2,  1850.  He  has  since 
preached  to  the  New  Castle,  Decatur  and 
Chilicothe  churches,  and  is  now  at  Tonica. 

After  the  resignation  of  elder  Alvord, 
elder  Geo.  W.  Appleton  supplied  the  church 
part  of  the  time.  He  had  previously  settled 
at  Delevan,  and  was  a  member  of  the 
church  for  some  time  while  elder  Alvord 
was  pastor.  Elder  Appleton  died  at  Dele- 
van  March  28,  1851.  He  was  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Martha  Appleton  ;  was  born 
in  Boston,  Mass.,  June  6,  1786.  When  24 
years  of  age  he  experienced  religion,  and 
was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
Baptist  church  in  Charlestown,  Mass.,  under 
the  care  of  elder  Win.  Collier.  The  great 
ministerial  destitution,  the  worth  of  souls, 
and  the  love  of  Christ,  soon  constrained 
him  to  commence  a  course  of  preparation 


98  DELEVAN. 

to  preach  the  gospel.  He  studied  at 
Wrentham,  and  also  with  elder  Jonathan 
Going  of  Worcester.  In  June,  1819,  he 
was  ordained,  and  took  the  pastoral  care 
of  the  church  in  Lyme,  Connecticut.  He 
was  subsequently  pastor  in  Sterling,  Kil- 
lingly  and  New  Britain,  in  Connecticut. 
His  ministerial  labors  were  then  interrupted 
until  his  removal  to  Delevan,  Ills.,  in  1849. 
He  labored  with  the  church  in  Delevan 
little  more  than  one  year. 

Elder  John  M.  Scrogin  became  pastor  of 
the  church  in  April,  1851,  and  labored  with 
great  self-denial  and  success,  until  his  death 
in  1852.  In  the  winter  of  1851-2,  the 
church  held  a  series  of  meetings,  in  which 
the  pastor  was  assisted  by  G.  S.  Bailey, 
then  of  Pekin,  and  S.  S.  Martin,  of  Tremont. 
Ten  were  baptized.  Elder  Scrogin  died, 
after  an  illness  of  a  few  days  only,  of  that 
fearful  scourge,  the  cholera,  Aug.  7,  1852. 
He  was  born  in  Kentucky,  Nov.  24,  1819. 
He  was  converted  at  Diamond  Grove,  Mor- 
gan county,  111.,  and  was  baptized  there  by 
elder  Joel  Sweet,  in  the  fall  of  1837.  He 
commenced  preaching  in  Woodford  county, 
Illinois,  in  the  spring  of  1847,  and  was  or- 
dained at  Richlandin  June,  1851.  He  was 
a  faithful  and  self-denying  minister,  and  his 
loss  was  deeply  lamented. 

Elder  S.  S.  Martin  resigned  the  pastor- 


DELEVAN.  99 

ate  of  the  church  in  Tremont,  and  became  * 
.the  pastor  of  this  church,  May  1,  1853. 
Under  the  labors  of  elder  Martin,  assisted 
by  elder  Daniel  E.  Bo  wen,  a  revival  of  re- 
ligion was  enjoyed,  in  January  and  Februa- 
ry, 1855.  Twelve  were  baptized,  as  the 
result  of  the  meeting.  In  February,  1856, 
a  series  of  meetings  was  held  at  Green 
Valley,  a  few  miles  west  of  Delevan.  El- 
der J.  Edminster,  of  Peoria,  assisted  elder 
Martin.  Thirteen  were  baptized.  Elder 
Martin  is  a  native  of  Colesville,  Broome 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  ordained  at  that  place 
in  September,  1843.  He  has  labored  with 
the  Knoxville,  Lamoille,  Dixon  and  Tre- 
mont churches.  He  has  recently  resigned 
at  Delevan. 

The  church  in  Delevan  have  a  good  house 
of  worship,  32  by  40,  well  furnished,  with 
bell,  melodeon,  etc.  It  cost  about  $1,800  ; 
about  $500  of  which  was  contributed  by 
friends  in  the  East.  This  church  has  been 
assisted  by  the  American  Baptist  Home 
Mission  Society,  but  is  now  able  to  support 
its  own  pastor,  and  is  active  in  contribu- 
ting to  benevolent  objects.  The  population 
now  in  the  field  of  this  church,  is  over  1000, 
and  is  rapidly  increasing. 

Present  number  of  members,  70. 

Deacons,  H.  L.  Fisher  and  Henry  Pratt. 

Clerk,  Daniel  Cheever. 


100  TOULON. 


TOULON. 

Toulon  is  the  county  scat  of  Stark  county. 
It  contains  a  population  of  about  500. 

The  Baptist  church  pf  Toulon  was  orga- 
nized at  the  house  of  Stephen  Eastman, 
June  25,  1848,  with  11  members  from  the 
Fahrenheit  (now  Lafayette)  church.  Elders 
A.  M.  Gardner,  W.  T.  Ely  and  C.  E. 
Tinker,  were  present  at  the  organization. 
Elders  E.  Gill  and  J.  M.  Stickney  were 
constitutent  members  in  this  church.  Elder 
Gill  was  originally  from  Massachusetts, 
Elder  Stickney  from  New  York,  Dea.  Ives 
from  Connecticut,  brother  Winters,  the 
Clerk,  from  Ohio.  Some  of  the  other  mem- 
bers were  from  Chicago  and  Wyoming,  Ills., 
and  from  Canada. 

The  Fahrenheit  (now  Lafayette)  church 
held  its  meetings  about  three  miles  from 
Toulon.  The  Franklin  church  was  about 
eight  miles  distant.  The  population  was 
then  sparse,  and  some  of  the  members  came 
from  10  to  16  miles  to  meeting.  The  Con- 
gregationalists  and  Methodists,  were  the 
only  denominations  at  Toulon.  The  three 
churches  met  at  different  times  in  the  court- 
house, and  the  congregations  were  nearly 
the  same  at  each  meeting.  General  liar- 


TOULON.  101 

mony  prevailed,  although  their  distinctive 
principles  received  due  attention,  and  were 
often  preached  upon  with  mutual  under- 
standing. 

Elder  J.  M.  Stickney  was  the  first  pas- 
tor of  this  church,  and  preached  to  it  a  por- 
tion of  the  time  for  three  years,  and  one 
half  of  that  period  without  any  compensa- 
tion. Elder  Gill  also  preached  occasion- 
ally. The  church  has  generally  had  preach- 
ing only  half  'the  time  until  the  present 
pastor  commenced  his  labors.  In  1849  the 
church  reported  3  baptisms  and  19  mem- 
bers ;  in  1850,  21  members  ;  in  1851,  32 
members.  Elder  Stickney  was  born  in 
Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.,  was  ordained  at 
Lyons  Faifhs  in  New'  Jersey,  and  has  la- 
bored in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Wisconsin 
and  Illinois.  He  has  been  a  colporteur 
of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Socie- 
ty for  a  few  years  past. 

Elder  Alba  Gross  became  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Aug.,  1851,  and  continued  in  that 
relation  until  March,  1855.  During  the  first 
year  of  his  pastorate  the  church  enjoyed  an 
interesting  revival.  The  pastor  was  assist- 
ed in  a  series  of  meetings  by  Elder  J.  K. 
Barry,  and  in  June,  1852,  the  church  re- 
ported 30  baptisms  and  67  members.  Dur- 
ing the  next  year  they  commenced  an  effort 


102  TOULON. 

to  erect  a  house  of  worship.  In  the  third 
year  of  elder  Gross'  pastorate,  he  was  again 
assisted  by  elder  Barry,  and  18  baptisms 
and  96  members  were  reported  at  the  next 
Association  in  1854.  Their  house  of  wor- 
ship was  completed  in  1855.  It  is  a  very 
neat  building  of  brick,  36  by  58,  with  a 
spire.  It  cost  $3500. 

Elder  0.  Brinkerhoff  became  pastor  of 
the  church  in  May,  1855,  and  still  continues 
in  that  relation.  During  the  first  year  of 
his  pastorate  the  church  enjoyed  a  revival 
and  14  baptisms  were  reported  in  1856.  A 
cumbersome  debt  of  $2000  was  upon  their 
meeting-house,  but  it  has  now  been  nearly 
all  provided  for,  and  their  prospects  as  a 
church  present  many  features  of  encourage- 
ment. Elder  Brinkerhoff  was  born  in  New 
York  city,  baptized  by  Dr.  A.  Perkins  in 
1827,  licensed  at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  and  or- 
dained at  Harpersfield,  Delaware  county, 
N.  Y.,  in  1836,  and  has  labored  chiefly  in 
New  Jersey  previous  to  his  removal  to 
Illinois. 

Present  number  of  members,  106. 

Pastor,  C.  Brinkerhoff. 

Clerk,  J.  Berfield. 


STEUBEN.  103 


STEUBEN. 

This  is  a  country  church,  located  in  Mar- 
shall county,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Illinois 
River.  It  was  organized  July  7, 1849,  and 
was  at  first  called  the  SENATCHWINE  church, 
after  the  name  of  the  creek  in  which  they 
administered  baptism.  But  the  county 
having  been  subsequently  organized  into 
townships,  the  church  took  the  name  of  the 
township  in  which  it  is  located,  and  since 
April,  1850,  it  has  been  called  Steuben. 
Elders  G.  Silliman,  H.  G-.  Weston,  C.  D. 
Merit  and  0.  J.  Sherman,  were  present  at 
the  organization.  It  consisted  of  seven 
members  ;  deacon  John  Gates,  and  Mercy 
Gates,  his  wife,  originally  from  Ohio,  John 
Webster  and  Hannah  Webster,  his  wife, 
Irene  Matthews,  Irene  Haynes  and  Olivia 
Hunter,  formerly  of  New  York.  Elder 
Weston  remained  and  preached  to  them  on 
the  following  Sabbath,  and  baptized  Joel 
Atwood.  The  nearest  Baptist  church  was 
at  Henry,  14  miles  distant. 

In  September,  1849,  elder  C.  D.  Merit 
became  pastor  of  the  church,  and  preached 
for  it  half  the  time.  He  continued  in  this 
relation  for  two  years.  The  church  was 
greatly  blessed  of  God,  and  increased  from  7 
10 


104  STEUBEN. 

t(v  50  members.  In  Nov.,  1849,  the  pastor 
held  a  series  of  meetings  for  two  weeks, 
aided  by  elders  G.  Silliman  and  0.  J.  Sher- 
man. Twelve  were  added  to  the  church,  9 
by  baptism.  In  June,  1850,  the  church  re- 
ported 14  baptisms  and  30  members,  and 
united  with  the  Association.  In  the  follow- 
ing December,  the  pastor  held  another  se- 
ries of  meetings,  and  twelve  were  baptized, 
and  some  united  by  letter.  In  1851,  the 
church  reported  50  members.  Elder  Merit 
closed  his  labors,  as  pastor,  in  August,  1851, 
much  endeared  to  the  church  and  communi- 
ty, and  became  the  pastor  of  the  churcli  at 
Chilicothe. 

In  Nov.,  1851,  elder  Wm.  G.  Gordon 
became  the  pastor  of  the  church.  A  series 
of  meetings  commenced  the  last  of  Decem- 
ber, the  pastor  being  assisted  by  elder  E. 
S.  Freeman.  After  a  few  evenings  the 
meetings  became  very  solemn,  and  many 
were  deeply  interested.  The  meetings 
continued  four  weeks,  and  22  were  baptized. 
In  1852,  the  church  reported  74  members. 
In  December,  1852,  another  series  of  meet- 
ings was  held  by  the  pastor  and  elder 
Freeman,  and  13  were  added  to  the  church 
by  baptism.  In  1853,  the  church  reported 
84  members.  In  September,  1853,  Levi 
Fosdick  was  licensed  by  the  church  to 


STEUBEN.  105 

preach.  He  is  now  preaching  occasionally 
in  that  vicinity.  In  the  fall  of  1853,  a 
series  of  prayer  meetings  was  held  for  two 
weeks,  and  during  the  third  week  there  was 
preaching  by  the  pastor  j  assisted  by  "elders 
Silliman  and  Alvord.  Five  were  baptized. 
In  1854,  the  church  reported  90  members. 

The  summer  and  fall  of  1854  were  times 
of  adversity  with  the  church,  on  account  of 
internal  difficulties.  In  November,  1854, 
elder  Gordon,  and  several  of  the  members, 
took  letters  from  the  Steubeii  church,  and 
organized  the  Whitefield  church. 

In  December,  1854,  elder  G.  Silliman  be- 
came the  pastor  of  the  church,  and  continued 
in  tliat  relation  one  year.  In  1855,  the 
church  reported  53  members,  44  having 
been  dismissed  by  letter.  The  Laprairie 
church  was  constituted  during  the  year, 
partly  from  the  Steuben  church.  Elder  Silli- 
man resigned  the  pastorate  at  the  close  of 
one  year's  service,  on  account  of  his  age  and 
infirmity.  Prom  December,  1855,  to  March, 
1856,  the  church  was  destitute  of  a  pastor, 
but  was  supplied  with  preaching  by  brother 
Fosdick. 

In  February  and  March,  1856,  the  church 
held  a  series  of  meetings,  aided  by  elders  I. 
S.  Mahan  and  J.  M.  Stothard;  3  were  bap- 
tized, and  in  March  elder  Stothard  became 


106  HAVANNA. 

pastor  of  the  church,  and  still  remains  in 
that  relation,  preaching  for  the  church  one- 
half  of  the  time.  He  is  a  native  of  England, , 
and  was  ordained  in  Canada.  The  church 
has  no  house  of  worship.  It  has  experienced 
strong  opposition  from  the  Methodists  in 
the  vicinity. 

Present  number  of  members,  46. 

Pastor,  J.  M.  Stothard. 

Deacons,  John  Gates,  John  Webster, 
Hiram  Atwood  and  E.  R.  Daniels. 

Clerk,  W.  M.  Bonham. 


HAVANNA. 

Havanna  is  the  county  seat  of  Mason 
county,  and  is  a  village  of  about  800  inha- 
bitants on  the  Illinois  River.  The  Baptist 
church  at  Havamia  was  organized  August 
25,  1849,  with  nine  members.  They  were 
from  Kentucky,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Sweden 
and  Denmark.  The  town  contained  a  po- 
pulation of  about  400  when  the  church  was 
organized.  Elders  John  L.  Turner  and  H. 
P.  Curry  wero  present  at  the  formation  of 
the  church. 

The  church  united  with  the  Clary's 
Grove  Association,  but  for  several  years 


HAY ANNA.  107 

past  it  failed  to  send  any  letter  or  messen- 
gers to  the  Association,  and  was  consequent- 
ly dropt  from  their  minutes.  For  some  time 
the  church  enjoyed  occasional  preaching  by 
elder  J.  L.  Turner,  and  afterward  by  elder 
J.  Daniels.  In  1852,  it  was  visited  a  few 
times  by  elder  Weston,  of  Peoria  ;  but  in 
consequence  of  deaths  and  removals,  the 
church  became  nearly  extinct,  and  for  a 
year  or  two  held  no  regular  meetings. 

In  the  summer  of  1855,  elder  G.  S.  Bailey, 
then  pastor  at  Pekin,  preached  there  part  of 
the  time  for  a  few  months,  and  in  September 
held  a  series  of  meetings  there  of  about  two 
weeks  continuance,  which  were  attended 
with  the  Divine  blessing.  Seven  were  bap- 
tized. Nine  more  united  by  letter,  and 
these,  with  the  members  who  still  belonged 
to  the  church  there,  made  about  25  mem- 
bers. 

In  December,  1855,  elder  F.  W.  Ingmire 
became  pastor  of  this  church  in  connection 
with  the  Quiver  church.  Two  were  bap- 
tized by  elder  Ingmire,  and  others  united 
by  letter.  They  have  no  meeting-house,  but 
hold  their  meetings  in  the  court-house.  The 
church  united  with  the  Illinois  River  Asso- 
ciation in  1856. 

Present  number  of  members,  33. 

Deacon,  Silas  Cheek  and  \Vm.  Higbee. 

Clerk,  A.  T.  Beck. 


108  BKIMFIELD. 


BKIMFIELD. 

This  church  is  located  in  the  west  part 
of  Peoria  county,  in  a  beautiful  country 
village.  It  was  organized  with  fourteen 
members  on  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  May, 
1850.,  Elders  H.  O.  Weston,  Joel  Sweet, 
and  S.  Gr.  Miner  were  present  at  its  organi- 
zation. In  the  spring  of  1850  Mr.  Lewis 
Atkinson,  a  preacher  of  the  Methodist 
church  in  Brimfield,  became  a  Baptist.  A 
few  Baptists  having  moved  into  the  vicinity 
from  New  England,  New  York  and  Penn- 
sylvania, a  Baptist  church  was  formed,  and 
Mr.  Atkinson  was  ordained  as  a  Baptist 
minister  and  became  the  first  pastor  of  this 
church.  He  was  born  in  Ireland.  Elder 
Atkinson  resigned  the  charge  of  the  church 
in  1852,  and  is  now  laboring  in  Minnesota. 

He  was  succeeded  by  elder  J.  W.  Den- 
nison,  who  served  as  pastor  a  little  less 
than  a  year.  Elder  Dennison  had  pre- 
viously labored  at  Upper  Alton  and  at 
Rock  Island.  The  population  in  the  field 
occupied  by  this  church  was  about  four  or 
five  hundred  at  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion. The  present  population  of  the  same 
field  is  about  fifteen  hundred.  The  other 


BKIMFIELD.  109 

denominations  are  Episcopalians,  Presby- 
terians, Congregationalists,  Methodists  and 
Koman  Catholics.  The  religious  condition 
of  the  place  is  much  improved  within  a 
few  years  past.  Most  of  the  population 
was  from  New  England,  New  York,  Ohio 
and  Pennsylvania. 

In  the  winter  of  1851-2,  the  Baptist 
church  enjoyed  a  revival,  and  in  1852 
10  baptisms  and  31  members  were  re- 
ported. After  the  resignation  of  elder 
Dennison,  the  church  was  destitute  of  a 
pastor  until  April  1,  1854,  when  elder  E. 
N.  Jencks  became  pastor.  He  continued 
about  one  year  and  has  subsequently  been 
pastor  at  Farmington.  In  1854  the  church 
erected  a  good  house  of  worship,  35  by  50 
feet,  which  cost  about  $3,000. 

In  April,  1855,  elder  Alba  Gross  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church.  He  was  born 
in  New  York,  and  has  been  pastor  of  seve- 
ral churches  in  this  State,  and  an  arduous 
laborer  and  successful  pioneer  in  the  es- 
tablishment or  building  up  of  several 
churches  in  Illinois.  By  his  severe  labors 
his  health  was  so  prostrated,  he  often 
bleeding  at  the  lungs,  that  he  was  obliged 
to  resign  the  charge  of  the  church  and  to 
retire  from  the  work  of  preaching  for  a 


110  PEKIN. 

time.  During  the  last  part  of  elder  Gross' 
pastorate  in  the  winter  of  1855-6,  a  very 
precious  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed  by  the 
church.  The  pastor  was  assisted  by  elder 
J.  H.  Hazen,  of  Meadville,  Pa.,  and  51 
were  baptized.  Elder  Hazen  has  since 
become  the  pastor. 

Present  number  of  members  131. 

Pastor,  J.  H.  Hazen. 

Deacons,  Eli  Bailey  and  Henry  Drury. 

Clerk,  Wm.  H.  Day. 


PEKIN. 

Pekin  is  the  county-seat  of  Tazewell 
county.  It  is  on  the  Illinois  river,  ten 
miles  south  of  Peoria,  and  contains  a  popu- 
lation of  about  3,000.  Previous  to  1850 
very  few  sermons  had  ever  been  preached 
there  by  Baptists.  This  town,  in  1850, 
contained  about  1,200  inhabitants. 

In  August,  1850,  elder  G.  S.  Bailey, 
then  pastor  at  Tremont,  commenced  preach- 
ing there  on  Sunday  afternoons,  in  the 
court-house.  A  few  Baptists  were  found, 
and  Nov.  7,  1850,  two  brethren  and 
two  sisters  met  at  the  house  of  J.  P.  Hall, 


PEK1N.  Ill 

and  resolved  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  a 
church,  though  their  number  was  so  small 
that  they  hardly  could  presume  to  call  a 
council  to  recognize  them  as  a  church. 
These  were  Jonathan  P.  Hall,  Lemuel 
Allen,  Mrs.  Allen  and  Catharine  Haas. 
Elders  Gr.  S.  Bailey,  John  Higby  and  — 
Gates  were  present,  and  approved  the  act, 
though  no  formal  recognition  took  place. 
At  the  same  meeting  one  candidate  was 
received  for  baptism,  and  during  the  winter 
and  spring  four  were  baptized  and  others 
united  by  letter. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1851,  an  effort 
was  made  to  build  a  meeting-house,  but 
nothing  was  done  except  to  raise  a  sub- 
scription. In  April,  the  pastor  went  to 
the  East,  and  was  absent  until  October, 
during  which  time  the  church  was  desti- 
tute of  preaching.  In  October,  1851,  el- 
der Bailey  settled  in  Pekin.  The  Minis- 
terial Conference  of  the  Illinois  Eiver  As- 
sociation being  in  session  in  Pekin,  they 
were  invited  by  the  church  to  act  as  a 
council  to  recognize  them  as  a  church. 
This  was  accordingly  done,  Jan.  8,  1852. 
The  church  then  had  about  fifteen  mem- 
bers. Elders  H.  Gr.  Western,  S.  S.  Martin, 
J.  M.  Scrogin  and  J.  Corwin  were  present 
at  the  recognition. 


112  PEKIN. 

During  the  winter  of  1851-2,  the  church 
met  in  the  meeting-house  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  church,  which  was  then  desti- 
tute of  a  pastor.  In  the  spring  of  1852 
they  again  returned  to  the  court-house. 
In  June  the  church  reported  9  baptized 
since  its  organization  and'  24  members. 
In  August  and  September,  elder  J.  K. 
Barry,  with  the  pastor,  held  a  series  of 
meetings,  which  resulted  in  an  immense 
excitement,  not  all  of  which  was  beneficial 
in  its  results.  The  next  June  the  church 
reported  13  baptisms  and  31  members. 

During  the  summer  of  1853  the  pastor 
visited  several  other  churches  in  Illinois 
and  obtained  assistance  for  building  a 
house  of  worship  in  Pekin,  and  also  preach- 
ed a  fourth  of  the  time  at  Groveland,  to  a 
branch  of  the  Tremont  church.  In  1854 
they  commenced  the  erection  of  a  house 
of  worship,  40  by  70  feet,  built  of 
brick,  wTith  basement  and  spire.  In  this 
enterprise  they  received  liberal  assistance 
from  other  churches  in  Illinois,  and  also 
about  $265  from  friends  in  the  Eastern 
States. 

There  were  but  few  religious  organiza- 
tions in  Pekin,  and  these  were  generally 
small  and  not  supplied  with  preaching  ex- 


PEKIN.  113 

cept  the  Methodist  and  Dutch  Reform- 
ed. In  June,  1854,  the  church  reported  3 
baptisms  and  34  members.  In  1855  they 
reported  3  baptisms  and  44  members. 

In  Nov.,  1854,  Rev.  R.  R.  Coon,  who 
had  been  a  Presbyterian  minister  for  four- 
teen years  and  pastor  of  the  Smithville 
Presbyterian  church,  about  ten  miles  from 
Pekin,  for  seven  years  previous,  having 
adopted  Baptist  sentiments,  united  with 
the  Pekin  church,  and  was  set  apart  by  a 
council  as  a  Baptist  minister.  He  soon 
after  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
at  Alton,  and  is  now  successfully  laboring 
in  that  field.  The  Presbytery  to  which 
he  belonged  appointed  him  to  preach  their 
anniversary  sermon  on  the  subject  of  bap- 
tism. This  induced  him  to  give  the  sub- 
ject a  thorough  investigation,  which  re- 
sulted in  his  full  conviction  that  the  views 
of  the  Baptists  were  the  scriptural  views 
on  this  subject. 

In  February,  1855,  Wm.  B.  Bunnell,  a 
member  of  the  Pekin  church,  was  ordain- 
ed to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  He  had 
for  many  years  been  engaged  in  teaching 
at  Yates  and  Nunda,  in  New  York. — 
Since  his  ordination  he  has  preached  some 
10 


114  PEKIN. 

at  Henry,  Ills.,  and  more  recently  at  Ston- 
ington  and  Taylorville,  Ills. 

The  church  in  Pekin  enclosed  their 
meeting-house  in  1855,  and  though  not 
completed,  it  was  in  a  condition  to  be  used. 
During  the  years  1854-5,  the  church  met 
in  a  school-house  belonging  to  the  Epis- 
copalians. For  four  or  five  months,  in 
1855,  the  pastor  preached  half  the  time  at 
Quiver  and  Havanna.  In  October,  1855, 
elder  Bailey  closed  his  labors  as  pastor  of 
the  church  and  became  pastor  at  Meta- 
mora.  The  Pekin  church  was  destitute 
of  regular  preaching  until  the  fall  of  1856, 
when  Benjamin  Grey,  a  licentiate,  became 
its  pastor.  He  has  since  been  ordained. 
This  church  occupies  an  important  and 
needy  field.  It  has  been  assisted  from  the 
first  by  the  Home  Mission  Society. 

Present  number  of  members  43. 

Pastor,  Benjamin  Grey. 

Deacons,  Lemuel  Allen  and  D.  A.  Chee- 
ver. 

Clerk,  L.  Allen. 


MET  AMOR  A.  115 


METAMORA. 

Metamora  is  the  county-seat  of  Wood- 
ford  county.  The  Baptist  church  was 
constituted  there  Dec.  26,  1850,  with 
twelve  members,  who  were  originally  from 
Vermont,  New  Hampshire  and  New  York. 
They  were  elder  Augustus  B.  Cramb,  Je- 
duthan  Sherman,  James  A.  Sherman, 
Samuel  Butterfield,  Wm.  Fisher,  Isabella 
G-.  Cramb,  Betsey  Sherman,  Ophelia  Sher- 
man, Electa  Sherman,  Maria  Sherman, 
Mrs.  Butterfield  and  Mrs.  Fisher.  Elders 
H.  G.  Weston,  G.  S.  Bailey  and  E.  S. 
Freeman  were  present  at  the  organization. 

The  nearest  Baptist  churches  were  at 
Bichland,  five  miles  north  and  Washington, 
seven  miles  south.  The  population  in  the 
field  of  this  church  was  about  1,000.  In 
the  same  field  were  Congregational,  Epis- 
copal, Campbellite  and  Methodist  churches 
and  some  Presbyterians.  Elder  Cramb 
had  been  recently  ordained  in  the  Bich- 
land church  and  had  preached  here  some 
time  previous  to  the  formation  of  the 
church,  under  the  patronage  of  the  Am. 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society..  He  was 
pastor  of  the  church  from  its  organization, 
11 


116  METAMOBA. 

preaching  for  them  when  his  health  would 
permit. 

The  church  united  with  the  Association 
in  June,  1851,  and  then  had  18  mem- 
bers. An  early  effort  was  made  for  the 
erection  of  a  house  of  worship.  But 
this  was  no  small  undertaking  for  so  fee- 
ble a  band.  In  1852  they  reported  22 
members.  Elder  Cramb  had  been  laid 
aside  by  ill-health  a  part  of  the  year,  and 
elder  J.  M.  Stickney  preached  every  other 
Sabbath  during  the  interruption  of  elder 
Cramb's  labors.  This  year  they  made  ar- 
rangements to  enclose  their  meeting-house. 

In  the  spring  of  1853  the  church  enjoy- 
ed an  interesting  revival  of  religion.  The 
pastor  was  assisted  in  a  series  of  meetings 
by  elders  Gr.  W.  Benton  and  G-.  S.  Bailey. 
The  meetings  were  held  in  the  Congrega- 
tional house  of  worship,  where  elder 
Cramb  had  been  invited  to  preach  each 
alternate  Sabbath,  as  the  Baptist  meeting- 
house was  not  then  in  a  condition  to  be 
used.  A  general  awakening  took  place 
through  all  the  community  and  additions 
were  made  to  all  the  churches.  At  the 
next  Association  the  church  reported 
31  baptisms  and  62  members.  Two 
of  those  baptized  are  now  preparing 


METAMOKA.  117 

for  the  ministry.  The  health  of  elder 
Cramb  continued  to  fail,  and  in  the  fall  of 
1853  he  was  compelled  to  resign  the  charge 
of  the  church,  being  entirely  unable  to 
preach. 

Hoping  that  the  climate  of  the  Pacific 
coast  would  be  conducive  to  his  health  and 
enable  him  to  preach  again,  he  accepted 
an  appointment  of  the  Home  Mission  So- 
ciety to  go  to  Oregon  as  a  missionary,  but 
subsequently  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish 
the  idea:  In  June,  1855,  he  removed  to 
St.  Cloud,  Minnesota.  But  his  health 
continued  to  decline,  and  in  Sept.,  1856, 
he  visited  New  York  to  obtain  medical  aid. 
He  intended  to  spend  the  winter  in  the 
South,  but  became  too  feeble  to  endure 
the  journey.  After  visiting  a  short  time 
with  his  wife's  friends  in  Gralesburg,  he 
returned  to  Metamora  in  November,  and 
remained  in  the  family  of  the  present  pas- 
tor of  the  church  until  his  decease,  which 
occurred  Feb.  19,  1857.  His  end  was 
serenely  peaceful  and  his  death  was  uni- 
versally lamented.  He  was  a  man  of  clear, 
comprehensive  and  vigorous  mind,  of  ear- 
nest and  devoted  piety,  and  was  eminently 
useful  in  the  ministry  during  the  short 
period  he  was  permitted  to  labor.  He 
was  thirty  years  of  age  at  his  death. 


118  MORTON. 

In  February,  1854,  elder  C.  D.  Merit 
became  pastor  of  this  church,  preaching 
for  them  on  alternate  Sabbaths.  In  June, 
1854,  the  church  reported  four  baptisms 
and  seventy-six  members.  During  the 
summer  they  completed  their  house  of 
worship,  which  was  dedicated  Nov.  22, 
1854.  It  is  a  substantial  brick  building, 
thirty-two  by  forty-two,  and  cost  about 
$2,000.  Towards  its  erection,  Dea.  Jona- 
than Bacheller,  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  contribu- 
ted $200.  In  the  spring  of  1855  elder  S. 
A.  Estee  assisted  the  pastor  in  a  series  of 
meetings,  during  which  three  were  bap- 
tized. This  year  the  church  reported 
81  members.  Elder  Merit  having  re- 
moved to  Washburn  in  the  fall  of  1855, 
and  the  church  there  desiring  his  labors 
every  Sabbath  instead  of  alternate  Sab- 
baths, he  resigned  the  charge  of  the  Meta- 
mora  church  in  December. 

Gr.  S.  Bailey  became  pastor  of  this  church 
in  December,  1855,  and  still  continues  in 
that  relation.  He  was  born  .in  Abington, 
Luzerne  Co.,  Pa.,  and  was  ordained  there 
in  May,  1845  ;  was  pastor  at  Canterbury, 
N.  Y.,  and  at  Springfield,  Trembnt  and 
Pekin,  Illinois.  -In  February,  1856,  Elder 
Benjamin  Thomas  assisted  the  pastor  in  a 


MOETON.  119 

series  of  meetings  and  eight  persons  were 
baptized. 

Present  number  of  members  83. 

Pastor,  G.  S.  Bailey. 

Deacons,  James  A.  Sherman,  Joseph  K. 
Stitt  and  Matthew  Tool. 

Clerk,  Edgar  Babcock. 


MORTON. 

This  church  is  located  in  Tazewell  coun- 
ty, half  way  between  Washington  and 
Tremont.  A  few  members  of  the  Wash- 
ington church  had  resided  in  this  vicinity 
several  years,  and  occasionally  elder  Ely, 
the  pastor  of  the  Washington  church,  had 
preached  there.  On  the  first  of  Jan.,  1851, 
elders  W.  T.  Bly  and  G-.  S.  Bailey  com- 
menced a  protracted  meeting  there,  in  a 
school-house.  This  meeting  was  attended 
with  a  precious  revival,  and  on  the  6th  of 
March,  1851,  the  Morton  Baptist  church 
was  organized  with  sixteen  members.  El- 
ders W.  T.  Bly,  a.  S.  Bailey,  A.  B.  Cramb, 
W.  Pigsley  and  T.  Powell  were  present  at 
the  organization. 

Elder  J.  Corwin,  who  succeeded  elder 
11* 


120  MORTON. 

Ely,  as  pastor  of  the  Washington  church, 
preached  also  at  Morton,  half  the  time, 
from  the  spring  of  1851  to  the  spring  of 
1852.  Elder  8.  S.  Martin,  of  Tremont, 
preached  to  them  part  of  the  time  from 
June,  1852,  to  June,  1853,  since  which 
time  they  have  had  little  regular  preaching. 
'R.  S.  Johnson,  a  licentiate  of  the  Canton 
church,  preached  there  a  short  time  in  the 
fall  of  1853.  Elder  W.  B.  Bunnell  also 
preached  there  occasionally  in  1854  and 
1855.  They  are  now  supplied  by  the  pas- 
tor of  Tremont  church. 

Present  number  of  members  22. 

Pastor,  E.  0.  Whi taker. 

Deacon,  John  Crandall. 

Clerk,  C.  E.  Crandall. 


KICKAPOO. 


KICKAPOO. 

This  church  is  )located  near  the  centre 
of  Peoria  county.  It  was  organized  March 
29,  1851,  with  twelve  members.  One  was 
from  New  Hampshire,  two  from  Pennsyl- 
vania and  nine  from  England.  The 
nearest  Baptist  churches  were  at  Brim- 
field,  Peoria  and  Farmington,  from  eight 
to  twelve  miles  distant.  Catholics,  Metho- 
dists and  Episcopalians  have  churches  in 
this  field.  Elders  L.  Atkinson  and  H.  G-. 
Weston  were  present  at  the  organization. 

The  church  has  been  supplied  with 
preaching  about  half  the  time  by  elders 
L.  Atkinson,  W.  G-.  Gordon,  E.  S.  Free- 
man, Joel  Sweet  and  C.  Davison.  Two 
baptisms  were  reported  by  the  church  in 
1851,  eight  in  1852,  and  nineteen  in  1853. 
Revivals  were  enjoyed  under  the  labors  of 
elders  Freeman  and  Gordon.  The  church 
has  a  good  meeting-house,  32  by  40  feet. 

Present  number  of  members  35. 

Pastor,  Caleb  Davison.    - 

Deacons,  A.  Tallyon  and  Thos.  Rockey. 

Clerk,  G.  H.  Fry. 


122  WETHEBSPIELD. 


WETHEKSFIELD. 

This  village  and  church  are  located  in 
Henry  county.  It  will  be  seen  by  refer- 
ence to  the  history  of  the  Anawan  church, 
that  that  church  was  originally  called  the 
Wethersfield  church,  and  was  organized 
in  that  village  in  1843.  After  1848  its 
meetings  were  not  held  in  Wethersfield 
village,  but  at  the  West  End  and  North 
Side  of  Barren  G-rove,  and  the  church  sub- 
sequently took  the  name  of  Anawan. 

The  present  Baptist  church  at  Wethers- 
field was  organized  May  17,  1851,  with 
eleven  members.  The  services  of  recog- 
nition were  conducted  by  elders  Thomas 
Powell,  H.  G-.  Weston,  A.  Gross,  C.  E. 
Tinker  and  Edward  Otis.  Elder  C.  E. 
Tinker  preached  to  this  church  one-fourth 
of  the  trine  for  a  year  after  its  organiza- 
tion. In  July,  1852,  elder  J.  M.  Stickney 
commenced  preaching  one-fourth  of  the 
time,  but  continued  only  about  three 
months.  The  church  then  had  no  regular 
preaching  for  nine  months,  but  kept 'up 
its  regular  covenant  meetings  and  weekly 
prayer-meetings. 

In  July,  1853, 1.  S.  Mahan,  a  licentiate 


WETHERSFIELD.  123 

of  the  G-alesburg  church,  commenced 
preaching  to  this  church,  and  also  at  Con- 
cord. For  the  two  previous  years  the 
church  had  reported  but  nine  members. 
Brother  Mahan  was  instrumental  in  gath- 
ering a  church  at  Concord,  and  was  ordain- 
ed at  that  place,  but  at  the  end  of  six 
months,  he  closed  his  labors  at  Concord 
and  devoted  his  whole  time  to  Wethers- 
field. 

In  Nov.,  1853,  and   in   the    spring   of 

1854,  the  church  enjoyed  precious  seasons 
of    revival,    and    at    the    next    Associa- 
tion  they   reported   31    baptisms  and  53 
members.      In  December.,  1854,  another 
series  of  meetings  was  held,  in  which  the 
pastor  was  assisted  by  elder  J.  M.  Winn, 
from  Marietta,  Ohio.     Several  persons  were 
added  to  the  church.     Elder   Mahan  re- 
signed the  charge  of  the  church  in  Feb., 

1855.  During   the    following    year    the 
church  was  supplied  with  preaching   by 
elder   Winn,    who    subsequently   became 
the  pastor,  but  has  since  resigned.     The 
present    pastor,   elder    S.    P.    Ives,   from 
Bloomington,  commenced  his  labors  in  the 
fall  of  1856. 

The  population  of  the  field  occupied  by 
this  church  at  the  time  of  its  organization 


124  EICHLAND   VALLEY. 

was  about  800.  It  is  now  about  2,500. 
The  church  was  aided  one  year  by  the 
American  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society, 
but  is  now  self-sustaining  and  contributes 
largely  to  benevolent  objects. 

Present  number  of  members  101. 

Pastor,  S.  P.  Ives. 

Deacons,  Austin  Sykes,  John  E.  More 
and  David  Alden. 

Clerk,  Charles  B.  Miner. 


EICHLAND  VALLEY. 

This  church  is  located  in  the  N.  W. 
part  of  Woodford  county.  It  was  a  colony 
from  the  Kichland  church,  and  was  con- 
stituted on  the  first  Wednesday  in  De- 
cember, 1851,  with  six  members.  Elders 
C.  D.  Merit  and  Wm.  Gr.  Gordon  were 
present  at  the  organization.  Several  other 
members  united  with  the  church  by  letter 
soon  after  its  formation.  The  principal 
influences  around  this  little  church  were 
Methodist  and  Universalist.  Elders  Pigs- 
ley  and  Freeman  preached  there  occasion- 
ally. 

Elder  J.  M.  Stickney  commenced  preach- 


HIGHLAND  VALLEY.  125 

ing  there  part  of  the  time  in  May,  1852, 
and  continued  his  labors  four  months. 

Elder  Wm.  M.  Brooks  became  pastor  of 
the  church  in  connection  with  the  Belle 
Plaine  church,  in  Oct.,  1852,  and  still  con- 
tinues his  labors  there.  Most  of  the  con- 
stituent members  of  this  church  had  united 
with  the  Kichland  Church  under  the  labors 
of  elder  E.  S.  Freeman.  In  1853  the 
church  reported  two  baptisms  and  25 
members,  and  in  1855,  two  baptisms 
and  22  members.  The  church  has  one 
licentiate,  W.  Hadlock,  and  one  other 
member  preparing  for  the  ministry.  The 
church  has  no  house  of  worship,  but  meets 
in  school-houses. 

Present  number  of  members  17. 

Pastor,  Wm.  M.  Brooks. 

Deacons,  Benjamin  Hadlock  and  Wm. 
Crank. 

Clerk,  W.  Hadlock. 


126  WASHBURN. 


WASHBURN. 

This  church  is  located  in  Woodford  coun- 
ty, near  the  line  of  Marshall.  It  was  for- 
merly called  the  HALF  MOON  PRAIRIE 
church,  from  the  name  of  the  prairie  on 
which  the  village  of  Washburn  stands. 
A  number  of  the  members  of  the  Richland 
church  resided  on  this  prairie,  and  these, 
with  others,  were  organized  into  a  sepa- 
rate church  in  January,  1852.  It  was 
constituted  with  28  members.  They 
were  principally  from  New  York,  some 
from  Ohio,  New  Hampshire,  Pennsylvania, 
Kentucky,  and  some  were  natives  of  Illi- 
nois. Elders  B.  S.  Freeman  and  W.  G. 
Gordon  were  present  at  the  organization. 

The  Richland  church  was  six  miles  dis- 
tant from  them.  The  population  around 
them  then  numbered  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty.  It  is  now  six  or  seven  hundred. 
The  prevailing  denominational  sentiments 
in  the  community  were  Campbellite  at  the 
time  of  its  organization,  but  now  the  Bap- 
tists have  a  large  and  prosperous  church. 
The  Methodists  have  a  class  there  and  a 
few  Campbellites  yet  remain. 

Elder  E.  S.  Freeman  was  the  first  pastor 


WASHBUBN.  127 

of  the  church,  commencing  his  labors 
at  or  before  the  organization.  He  con- 
tinued to  preach  there  half  the  time  for 
one  year.  Two  were  baptized  during  his 
labors. 

Elder  C.  D.  Merit  became  pastor  of  the 
church  in  March,  1853,  and  is  still  the 
pastor.  The  church  has  enjoyed  a  season 
of  revival  every  year  under  the  labors  of 
elder  Merit.  They  have  a  good  house 
of  worship,  32  by  45  feet,  which  cost 
$2,200.  It  was  built  in  the  fall  of 
1854.  The  church  received  aid  from  the 
Home  Mission  Society  one  year,  but  is  now 
self-sustaining  and  liberal  in  benevolent 
contributions. 

One  of  the  principal  founders  of  this 
church  was  Peleg  Sweet,  a  brother  of  elder 
Joel  Sweet.  He  had  a  family  of  twelve 
children,  four  sons  and  eight  daughters,  all 
of  whom  are  members  of  this  church.  The 
husbands  of  the  eight  daughters  have  all 
been  baptized,  and  nine  of  the  grand-chil- 
dren, all  upon  a  profession  of  faith,  making 
over  thirty  in  his  family,  and  immediately 
connected  with  it,  who  have  been  baptized. 
He  has  now  gone  to  his  heavenly  rest,  and 
also  one  of  his  sons-in-law,  elder  John  M. 
12 


128  BELLE   PLAINE. 

Scrogin,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Delevan 
church. 

Present  number  of  members  75. 

Pastor,  C.  D.  Merit. 

Deacons,  Ebenezer  Dunham  and  E.  A. 
Sweet. 

Clerk,  Tilton  Howard. 


BELLE  PLAINE. 

This  church  is  located  in  the  south  part 
of  Marshall  county,  near  the  head  of  Crow 
Creek.  It  was  organized  Feb.  26,  1852, 
with  eleven  members,  six  of  whom  were 
from  Kentucky  and  five  from  New  York. 

'Some  time  previous  to  the  organization, 
William  M.  Brooks,  a  licentiate  from  the 
Dry  Kun  church,  in  Kentucky,  had  set- 
tled in  that  vicinity  and  preached  occa- 
sionally, and  through  his  labors  the  church 
was  gathered.  The  population  of  the  set- 
tlement at  the  time  the  church  was 
constituted  was  about  200,  but  is  now 
about  400.  Campbellites  and  Metho- 
dists had  previously  established  oc- 
casional meetings  in  the  neighborhood. 
Elder  Thomas  Powell  and  E.  S.  Freeman 


BELLE  PLAINE.  129 

were  present  at  the  constitution  of  the 
church.  The  nearest  adjacent  churches 
were  at  Washburn,  six  miles  west,  and  at 
Mt.  Palatine,  fourteen  miles  north-west. 

They  had  preaching  a  fourth  of  the  time 
in  a  school-house,  and  their  influence  was 
felt  and  their  labors  were  blest.  For  three 
years  past  they  have  had  preaching  half 
the  time  by  elder  Brooks,  who  was  or- 
dained at  Belle  Plaine.  He  has  been  pas- 
tor of  the  church  since  its  organization. 
He  was  born  in  Fleming  county,  Ky.,  and 
preached  in  Scott,  Harrison,  Owen  and 
Franklin  counties,  Ky.  The  first  revival 
in  the  Belle  Plaine  church  was  in  July, 

1854.  Another    was    enjoyed    in    July, 

1855,  and  also  another  in  the  beginning  of 
1856. 

Present  number  of  members  50. 
Pastor,  Wm.  M.  Brooks. 
Deacons,  Amos  C.   West  and  Thomas 
Richardson. 

Clerk,  Thomas  C.  Spencer. 


130  PEORIA  GEEMAN   CHURCB. 


PEORIA,  GEEMAN  CHURCH. 

This  church  was  constituted  August  24, 
1852,  with  eight  members,  four  males  and 
four  females,  all  from  Germany.  Elders 
H.  G-.  Weston  and  J.  H.  Kruger  were  pre- 
sent at  the  organization. 

Elder  J.  H.  Kruger  had  been  preaching 
to  the  Germans  in  Peoria  for  eight  months 
previous,  and  was  unanimously  chosen  pas- 
tor, in  which  office  he  has  continued  until 
the  present  time.  Elder  Kruger  was  born 
in  Bremen,  Germany,  and  ordained  in  New 
York. 

The  church  has  always  been  aided  in 
sustaining  its  pastor  by  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society.  The  church 
hold  their  meetings  in  the  basement  of  the 
meeting-house  of  the  First  Baptist  Church. 

Present  number  of  members  19. 

Pastor,  J.  H.  Kruger. 


FABMINGTON.  131 


FAKMINQTON. 

This  village  is  in  the  N.  E.  corner  of 
Fulton  Co.  The  present  Baptist  church 
was  organized  there  Sept.  16, 1852.  Pre- 
vious to  that  time,  however,  a  Baptist 
church  had  existed  there.  In  1847,  elder 
Erastus  Miner  become  pastor  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  at  Trivoli,  six  miles  east  of 
Farmington.  During  his  ministry  a  num- 
ber of  persons  in  Farmington  united  with 
the  Trivoli  church,  and  at  length  the  meet- 
ings were  held  mostly  at  Farmington. 
The  Trivoli  church  sent  no  letter  or  mes- 
senger to  the  Association  from  1845  to 
1850. 

In  1848  the  church  at  Farmington  was 
received  into  the  Association.  When  it 
was  organized,  if  it  ever  had  any  formal 
organization,  except  under  the  name  of  the 
Trivoli  church,  I  have  not  learned.  In 
1849  it  reported  forty-two  members.  It 
never  made  any  report  to  the  Association 
after  that,  and  in  1851  its  name  was  dropt 
from  the  minutes.  A  dissatisfaction  was 
felt  with  the  doctrines  and  practices  of 
elder  Erastus  Miner  as  verging  somewhat 
towards  Campbellism,  and  new  organiza- 


132  FAEMINGTON. 

tions  have  since  been  formed  in  both  Tri- 
voli  and  Farmington.  4 

The  present  Baptist  Church  in  Farming- 
ton  was  formed  Sept.  16, 1852,  with  seven- 
teen members.  Eight  of  them  were  from 
New  Jersey,  one  from  New  York^  three 
from  Ohio,  two  from  Kentucky  and  one 
from  England.  Elders  L.  Atkinson,  Gr.  S. 
Bailey,  C.  Davison,  A.  Miner,  S.  G-.  Miner, 
H.  G.  Weston  and  Joel  Sweet  were  pre- 
sent at  the  organization.  Elder  Caleb 
Davison  had  been  preaching  to  them  for 
some  time  previous  to  the  organization, 
and  was  the  pastor  afterwards  for  about  a 
year  and  a  half,  preaching  for  them  half 
the  time.  He  has  since  been  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Kickapoo. 

In  April,  1855,  elder  E.  N.  Jencks  be- 
came pastor  of  this  church.  He  has  since 
resigned.  Elder  Jencks  was  born  at  Spring- 
field, Mass.  ;  ordained  at  Hartford,  Ct.,  in 
1846  ;  labored  for  a  time  as  a  missionary 
of  the  Am.  Bap.  Mis.  Union  in  the  Chinese 
department  of  the  mission  at  Bangkok, 
Siam,  and  has  subsequently  labored  at 
Cornwall  Hollow,  Conn.,  Farm  Ridge,  and 
Deer  Park,  and  at  Brimfield,  111. 

The  field  occupied  by  this  church  is  an 
important  one,  containing  a  population  of 


CONCORD.  133 

about  2,000.  In  1854  elder  D.  E.  Bowen, 
the  itinerant  missionary  of  the  Association, 
and  elder  S.  Gr.  Miner,  held  a  series  of 
meetings  there  and  some  were  added  to 
the  church.  The  present  pastor  commen- 
ced his  labors  in  the  fall  of  1856. 

Present  number  of  members  29. 

Pastor,  A.  R.  Newton. 

Deacons,  Caleb  S.  Hall  and  Ebenezer 
Barrott. 

Clerk,  J.  F.  Randolph. 


CONCORD. 

This  church  is  located  in  Macon  town- 
ship, Bureau  county.  It  was  gathered 
under  the  labors  of  brother  I.  S.  Mahan, 
while  he  was  pastor  of  the  church  at 
Wethersfield.  It  was  recognized  Sept.  17, 
1853,  with  thirteen  members,  from  Maine, 
New  York,  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania.  Bro- 
ther Mahan  was  ordained  there  on  the 
same  day.  Elders  S.  P.  Ives,  R.  Newton, 
T.  Bodley,  C.  E.  Tinker,  E.  Gill,  J.  M. 
Stickney  and  D.  James  were  present  at  the 
recognition. 

Elder  Mahan  continued  to  preach  there 


134  CONCORD. 

a  portion  of  the  time  for  six  months.  The 
church  united  with  the  Association  in 
1854  and  then  reported  21  members. 
The  nearest  Baptist  church  to  them  was 
about  eight  miles  distant.  The  popu- 
lation in  the  vicinity  was  about  700  ; 
it  has  nearly  doubled  since.  The  church 
has  no  meeting-house. 

In  June,  1854,  elder  Wm.  McDermand 
commenced  preaching  to  the  church  and 
continued  until  October,  1854. 

Elder  C.  A.  Hewit,  formerly  of  Penn- 
sylvania, commenced  preaching  to  the 
church  in  Dec.,  1854,  and  is  still  the  pas- 
tor, /i 

Present  number  of  members  24. 

Pastor,  C.  A.  Hewit. 

Deacons,  John  W.  Lewis  and  Josiah 
Bodley. 

Clerk,  A.  Bigelow. 


ONTARIO.  135 


ONTARIO. 

This  church  was  organized  at  Ontario, 
Knox  county,  April  29,  1854,  with  sixteen 
members,  nine  of  whom  were  from  New 
York,  two  from  Pennsylvania,  one  from 
Vermont,  one  from  Ohio,  and  two  were 
natives  of  Illinois.  Elders  A.  Gross,  R. 
Newton  and  —  Wilber  were  present  at 
its  constitution.  The  nearest  Baptist 
church  was  at  Henderson,  six  miles  dis- 
tant. The  population  in  the  field  of  this 
church  is  about  400.  The  Congrega- 
tionalists  have  a  strong  society  there. 
Elder  R.  S.  Johnson  preached  for  this 
church  a  fourth  of  the  time  for  four  months, 
and  occasionally  supplied  them  until  May, 
1855.  Elder  Johnson  was  ordained  at 
Canton,  Illinois. 

Since  May,  1855,  elder  J.  Wilder,  from 
New  York,  has  preached  to  this  church 
once  every  Sabbath.  They  have  the  use 
of  a  good  house  28  by  45  feet. 

Present  number  of  members  24. 

Pastor,  J.  Wilder. 

Deacon,  I.  M.  Wetmore. 

Clerk,  T.  S.  Cone. 


136  KNOX. 


KNOX. 

The  present  Baptist  church  at  Knoxville 
was  constituted  June  24,  1854. 

The  Baptist  church  of  Galesburg  was 
formerly  called  the  Knoxville  church,  and 
held  its  meetings  in  Knoxville.  It  was 
admitted  into  the  Association  in  1839  with 
42  members.  In  1848  the  minutes  say 
this  church  had  changed  its  location  and 
name  from  Knoxville  to  Galesburg.  From 
that  time  until  1854,  Baptist  meetings 
were  held  only  occasionally  at  Knoxville. 

Under  the  labors  of  elder  A.  Gross  a 
new  church  was  gathered  and  organized  in 
Knoxville,  June  24,  1854.  Elders  A. 
Gross,  E.  N.  Jencks,  S.  S.  Martin,  S. 
Kidgeley  and  E.  Newton  were  present. 
It  consisted  of  19  members.  They  were 
from  Vermont,  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  The  nearest  Baptist 
churches  were  at  Galesburg,  five  miles 
west  ;  Henderson,  nine  miles  north,  and 
Brimfield,  twenty-one  miles  east.  The 
Presbyterians,  Old  and  New  School,  had 
each  a  house  of  worship  in  Knoxville,  and 
also  theCongregationalists  and  Methodists. 
A  dense  population  occupies  this  region  of 
country. 


KNOX.  137 

Elder  A.  Gross  was  pastor  of  this  church 
until  April  1,  1855,  preaching  there  one- 
fourth  of  the  time.  Under  his  labors  17 
members  were  received  by  letter  and  4  dis- 
missed by  letter,  leaving  32  members  at 
the  close  of  his  labors. 

Elder  John  Winter  became  pastor  of  the 
church  in  April,  1855,  and  is  still  in  that 
office.  He  was  born  in  Wellington,  Somer- 
setshire, England  ;  ordained  at  Durham, 
Eng.,  and  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church 
at  Wheeling,  Va.,  previous  to  his  removal 
to  Knoxville. 

On  the  second  Sabbath  in  Jan.,  1856, 
elder  J.  H.  Hazen,  of  Meadville,  Pa.,,  com- 
menced assisting  the  pastor  in  a  series  of 
meetings,  which  were  attended  with  the 
divine  blessing,  notwithstanding  the  ex- 
treme inclemency  of  the  weather  and  the 
exposed  condition  of  their  meeting-house. 
Seven  were  baptized  and  others  were  added 
by  letter. 

In  the  autumn  of  1855,  the  church  pur- 
chased the  house  previously  occupied  by 
the  N.  S.  Presbyterians,  for  $475,  and  have 
removed  it  to  an  eligible  site,  and  refitted, 
and  improved  it  at  an  additional  ex- 
pense of  about  $300.  The  church  is  in 
a  prosperous  condition,  with  a  Sabbath 


138  QUIVER. 

school  and  Bible  class  ;  and  is  manifesting 
a  commendable  liberality  in  assisting  bene- 
volent objects. 

Present  number  of  members  50. 

Pastor,  John  Winter. 

Deacons,  Olcott  B.  Palmer  and  Daniel 
Ashby. 

Clerk,  H.  G.  Keynolds. 


QUIVER. 

This  church  is  situated  on  the  Quiver 
Creek  in  Mason  county,  seven  miles  N.  E. 
of  Havanna,  the  county-seat.  It  was  con- 
stituted at  the  house  of  Lewis  Boss,  Aug. 
18,  1854,  with  seven  members,  five  of 
whom  were  from  New  Jersey  and  two 
from  Indiana.  They  were  Reuben  Coon, 
Geo.  D.  Coon,  Aaron  Littell,  David  Op- 
dylke,  Mrs.  Ross,  Mrs.  Yates  and  Mrs. 
Opdylke.  Elders  S.  G.  Miner,  G.  S.  Bai- 
ley, D.  E.  Bowen,  J.  W.  Nye  and  S.  S. 
Martin  were  present  at  the  organization. 
The  nearest  Baptist  church  was  at  Canton, 
17  miles  distant ;  the  Havanna  church 
having  lost  its  visibility.  This  little 
church  had  only  occasional  preaching  until 


WHITBFIELD.  139 

Nov.,  1854,  when  elder  K.  E.  Coon  com- 
menced preaching  to  them  a  portion  of 
the  time.  In  the  succeeding  April  he  be- 
came pastor  of  the  church  at  Alton. 

In  June,  1855,  G.  S.  Bailey,  then  pas- 
tor at  Pekin,  commenced  preaching  to  this 
church  a  portion  of  the  time  and  continued 
his  labors  four  months. 

In  Nov.,  1855,  elder  F.  W.  Ingmire, 
having  settled  at  Havanna  as  pastor  of 
that  church,  which  had  been  resuscitated, 
commenced  preaching  for  this  church,  but 
continued  his  labors  less  than  a  year. 

Present  number  of  members  11. 

Deacons,  Reuben  Coon  and  Aaron  Lit- 
tell. 

Clerk,  George  D.  Coon. 


WHITEFIELD. 

This  church  is  located  in  Marshall  county, 
west  of  the  Illinois  Eiver.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  Nov.,  1854,  with  19  members.  Its 
constituent  members  were  chiefly  from  the 
Steuben  church,  including  elder  Gordon, 
who  became  the  pastor  of  the  Whitefield 
church,  and  still  continues  in  that  relation. 
13 


140  PEOEIA,   ADAMS   STEEET 

The  church  united  with  the   Association 
in  1835  and  then  had  24  members. 

Present  number  of  members  32. 

Pastor,  W.  Gr.  Gordon. 

Deacon,  Abram  Nighswonger.  , 

Clerk,  C.  B.  Campbell. 


PEORIA,  ADAMS  STREET. 

This  church  was  formed  Jan.  24,  1855, 
by  a  colony  from  the  first  Baptist  church 
in  Peoria.  The  city  having  rapidly  ex- 
tended down  the  river,  and  a  large  popu- 
lation residing  in  the  lower  part  who  were 
at  considerable  distance  from  places  of 
worship,  the  First  Baptist  church,  with 
commendable  liberality,  engaged  the  ser- 
vices of  elder  John  Edrninster,  of  Byron, 
Ogle  county,  Ills.,  and  erected  another 
meeting-house  about  a  mile  south  of  theirs, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $1400. 

Elder  Edminster  was  born  in  Cato,  Ca- 
yuga  Co.,  N.  Y.  ;  ordained  pastor  of  the 
Birmingham  church  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
also  has  labored  with  the  White  Deer, 
Clinton  and  Madison  churches  in  that 
State. 


LACON.  141 

The  Adams  Street  church  was  constitu- 
ted with  13  members,  from  Kentucky, 
New  York,  England  and  Germany.  Soon 
after  the  organization  several  persons  were 
hopefully  converted  and  four  were  baptized. 
The  Home  Mission  Society  assisted  in  sus- 
taining the  pastor  the  first  year. 

Present  number  of  members  24. 

Pastor,  John  Edminster. 

Deacons,  Eichard  Denby  and  W.  F. 
Kimsey. 

Clerk,  F.  Spandau. 


LACON. 

This  town  is  the  county-seat  of  Marshall 
county,  and  is  situated  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Illinois  Eiver.  The  Baptist  church 
was  organized  here  March  31,  1855,  with 
eight  members  :  L.  Holland,  L.  Gr.  Thomp- 
son, James  McWhinney,  B.  T.  Baldwin, 
I.  S.  Mahan,  Jane  Mahan,  Jane  McWhinney 
and  Esther  Bonham.  Elders  0.  D.  Merit, 
J.  A.  Pool  and  Wm.  M.  Brooks  were  pre- 
sent at  the  organization. 

A  few  Baptists  had  been  residing  in 
Lacon  for  several  years,  but  they  were  des- 


142  LACON. 

titute  of  any  regular  Baptist  preaching 
until  elder  I.  S.  Mahan,  the  present  pas- 
tor and  one  of  the  constituent  members, 
commenced  his  labors  there.  Several  Bap- 
tist churches  had  been  formed  in  the  coun- 
try from  six  to  ten  miles  from  Lacon,  as 
the  Eichland  Valley  church,  Henry,  Steu- 
ben  and  Whitefield  churches  ;  but  the 
village  of  Lacon  had  been  neglected  by 
Baptists.  The  Presbyterians  and  Metho- 
dists had  churches  there,  the  former  em- 
bracing about  100  members,  the  latter 
about  50.  Their  meetings  had  been  held 
mostly  in  the  (jourt-house  and  in  private 
dwellings  until  the  early  part  of  1857, 
when  they  completed  a  very  commodious 
and  neat  house  of  worship  36  by  50  feet, 
with  a  spire,  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,500,  in- 
cluding the  lot.  Other  churches  in  this 
Association  aided  them  in  the  erection  of 
their  house. 

In  June,  1855,  they  reported  7  baptisms 
and  19  members.  In  the  winter  of  1855- 
6  they  enjoyed  a  revival,  though  they  were 
compelled  to  hold  their  meetings  in  a  small 
room  of  a  private  house,  and  in  1856  they 
reported  5  baptisms  and  30  members. 

The  church  has  been  assisted  in  sustain- 
ing its  pastor  by  the  Illinois  Baptist  Gene- 


SPOON  RIVEE.  143 

ral  Association  from  the  commencement 
of  the  effort  at  Lacon.  The  population  of 
the  field  is  about  1800. 

Elder  Mahan  was  born  in  Highland  Co., 
Ohio  ;  baptized  at  Galesburg,  Ills.  ;  or- 
dained in  the  Concord  church,  Bureau  Co., 
Ills.,  and  has  been  pastor  at  Concord  and 
Wethersfield,  Ills. 

Present  number  of  members  30. 

Pastor,  I.  S.  Mahan. 

Deacons,  L.  Holland  and  L.  Gr.  Thomp- 
son. 

Clerk,  Isaac  Frank. 


SPOON  EIVEB. 

This  church  is  situated  in  Stark  county, 
and  was  organized  April  5,  1855,  with  11 
members.  It  occupies  the  ground  where 
the  Franklin  church  once  existed. 

Elder  W.  Gr.  Grordon  was  its  pastor  the 
first  year.  Elder  C.  A.  Hewit  now  preaches 
to  them  part  of  the  time. 

Present  number  of  members  21. 

Pastor,  C.  A.  Hewet. 

Deacon,  Andrew  Britton. 

Clerk,  Adonijah  Taylor. 


144  CUBA. 


CUBA. 

This  church  is  located  in  Fulton  county, 
and  was  organized  June  9,  1855,  with  13 
members,  12  of  them  from  Ashland  Co., 
Ohio,  and  one  from  New  York.  They 
were  Christian  Neff,  Solomon  Neff,  Anna 
Neff,  Mary  Ann  Neff,  Barbara  A.  Neff, 
Allitha  Neff,  Jacob  Baughman,  Sarah 
Baughman,  Sarah  Snively,  Sarah  Smith, 
J.  A.  Kuykendall,  Kebecc'a  Kuykendall 
and  sister  Gire. 

Elder  S.  Neif  was  one  of  the  constituent 
members  of  this  church,  and  has  been  its 
pastor  since  it  was  constituted.  Elder 
Neff  labored  in  the  ministry  in  the  bounds 
of  the  Mohecan  Association  in  Ohio,  from 
1838  to  1852. 

Present  number  of  members  19. 

Pastor,  S.  Neff. 

Clerk,  J.  A.  Kuykendall. 


LAPEAIEIE,  GALVA.  145 


LAPBAIKIE. 

This  church,  is  located  in  the  west  part 
of  Marshall  county,  and  was  organized  in 
June,  1855,  with  12  members.  It  united 
with  the  Association  in  June,  1856. 

Present  number  of  members  16. 

Pastor,  J.  M.  Stothard. 

Deacon,  William  Eicher. 

Clerk,  L.  W.  Morrill. 


GALVA. 

This  church  is  located  in  Henry  county. 
It  was  organized  Aug.  14,  1855,  with  9 
members,  most  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Vermont  or  Illinois. 

At  its  recognition,  elder  0.  Brinkerhoff 
preached  the  sermon  from  Eph.  6  :  10. 
Elder  M.  H.  Negus  read  the  Scriptures. 
Elder  J.  M.  Stickney  gave  the  charge  to 
the  church.  Elder  E.  Grill  gave  the  hand 
of  fellowship,  and  elder  David  James  offer- 
ed the  prayer  of  recognition. 

The  nearest  Baptist  church  to  this  was 
six  miles  distant.  The  population  around 


146  GALVA. 

this  little  church,  numbered  about  200 
when  the  church  was  formed,  but  within 
a  year  it  increased  to  over  600.  The  Con- 
gregationalists  and  Methodists  have  or- 
ganizations also  at  Galva. 

During  the  first  year  the  church  had 
preaching  a  fourth  of  the  time  by  elder 
Negus,  the  pastor  at  Lafayette.  Elder 
G-ross  has  since  become  the  pastor.  They 
have  no  house  of  worship. 

Present  number  of  members  26. 

Pastor,  Alba  Gross. 

Clerk,  Wm.  L.  Wiley. 


